WNC NEWS & NOTES

Last chance to sign up for summer classes

If you think of geology as land masses that just lie there, check out David Bell's course this summer. Bell takes on the more explosive aspects of geology, with classes that focus on earthquakes, volcanoes and natural disasters. The course explores a land of turmoil, both geological and historical, in California.

The one-credit class, Geology 114B C01, costs $64.25 and includes class meetings on Friday, July 10 and 17, followed by a field trip on the weekend of July 25 and 26.

"Students will get some fundamentals of geology and get to see a unique geological feature where the Cascade Range and the basin and range province come together," Bell said. "We'll take a look at the consequences of lava beds, and the Modoc Highlands to the immediate south. This is the largest shield volcano area in the continental United States and generated the lava tubes and flows in the monument. We'll look at some of the caves and show how it relates to western history " what it means for man."

Summer classes start June 8 and this is the last week to sign up and pay for classes as varied as word processing and spreadsheets, ceramics and painting, academic subjects, photography and motorcycle safety. Go to WNC.edu for more information.

Alien Hunter will speak Saturday

Fresh from an appearance on "The Colbert Report," Western brings astronomer Seth Shostak to the Carson City campus to discuss "When will we find ET?" at

8 p.m. Saturday, June 6, at Marlette Hall in the Cedar Building. The public is welcome to use the college's telescopes at the Jack C. Davis Observatory after the talk at a free "star party."

Dr. Shostak is the senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, in Mountain View, Calif., and author of "Confessions of an Alien Hunter."

For much of his career, Dr. Shostak conducted radio astronomy research on galaxies, and has published approximately 60 papers in professional journals.

While he believes the circumstances that created life on earth exist in other parts of the universe, Dr. Shostak debunks a lot of popular literature that says aliens have already made contact with earth.

The astronomer has written several hundred popular magazine and Web articles on various topics in astronomy, technology, film and television. He lectures on astronomy and other subjects at Stanford and other venues in the Bay Area.

Western Nevada Astronomical Society members will have a chance to meet Dr. Shostak at the observatory at 6:30 p.m. prior to the lecture.