Dark Matter, Dark Energy:
The Dark Side of the Universe

These are a series of twenty-four professionally produced pedagogical lectures on DVD, introducing modern cosmology through a focus on two of its most fascinating aspects: dark matter and dark energy. The kind of matter with which we are familiar -- atoms and molecules, and indeed every particle we have ever created in a laboratory -- only makes up about 5% of the universe. Another 25% is dark matter, a kind of particle that is massive and weakly interacting. The remaining 70% is dark energy, which is not even a particle -- it's a smoothly-distributed energy field that remains persistent in density even as the universe expands. The quest to understand dark matter and dark energy is the most important task of twenty-first century cosmology.

The lectures are meant for anyone with a curious mind, regardless of their background. No prior familiarity with physics or astrophysics is assumed. We start with the fundamental ideas of relativity and particle physics, work our way up to the astonishing discoveries of modern observational cosmology, and dig deeply into speculative ideas about what dark matter and dark energy might be telling us about the nature of space, time, and matter. The lectures can be enjoyed by anyone, taken at whatever pace is most comfortable; full lecture transcripts are also available, as well as an extensive reading list and questions relating to each lecture.

There is an online forum dedicated to discussing these lectures in particular, and a Yahoo group for the Teaching Company in general.

1. Fundamental Building Blocks
2. The Smooth, Expanding Universe
3. Space, Time, and Gravity
4. Cosmology in Einstein's Universe
5. Galaxies and Clusters
6. Gravitational Lensing
7. Atoms and Particles
8. The Standard Model of Particle Physics
9. Relic Particles from the Big Bang
10. Primordial Nucleosynthesis
11. The Cosmic Microwave Background
12. Dark Stars and Black Holes
13. WIMPs and Supersymmetry
14. The Accelerating Universe
15. The Geometry of Space
16. Smooth Tension and Acceleration
17. Vacuum Energy
18. Quintessence
19. Was Einstein Right?
20. Inflation
21. Strings and Extra Dimensions
22. Beyond the Observable Universe
23. Future Experiments
24. The Past and Future of the Dark Side

Whew! What can I say. This type of lecture is what The Teaching Company is all about. Does it get any better than this? -- Doug van Orsow

We started watching the lectures this week and I was not disappointed. It is so rare to find someone like Sean, a person able to communicate difficult science concepts effectively, and there's nothing more counterintuitive and difficult as dark energy and an expanding universe. -- Tony Darnell

I was literally on the edge of my seat every second and would have gladly paid for and watched 10 times as many lectures. -- Russ Ravella

Unfortunately I don't have time to answer individual questions about the lectures, but there are other places to go for help.

• There is an online forum dedicated to this course (with related forums for other Teaching Comany courses), with reviews of each lecture, where anyone can discuss and ask questions.
• Some other online forums on related topics:
  • Physics Forums
  • Advanced Physics Forums
  • Bad Astronomy and Universe Today Forums
  • PhysOrg Forum
  • sci.physics
  • sci.physics.research
• I've written a Cosmology Primer, and an associated list of Frequently Asked Questions.
• Prof. Ned Wright at UCLA also has a cosmology tutorial and FAQ.
• Wright has also compiled a bibliography of popular cosmology books.
• NASA has a set of cosmology 101 pages.
• The collective wisdom of the internet has complied an extensive relativity FAQ.
• I am a contributor to the group blog Cosmic Variance. We talk about physics and cosmology, but also about whatever else strikes our fancy.

What are you waiting for?