First Year Seminar 191CNS56 - FYS- Topics in CNS

First-year (R1ST) Title: Biology of the senses: How life perceives its world
How do organisms gather information from their environment? How do different animals experience the world differently from us, sensing things like electricity, magnetism, or polarized light? How do cells and neural circuits transform physical stimuli into meaningful perceptions that guide behavior? This seminar will unlock the secrets behind our senses and the incredible sensory abilities found throughout the tree of life. We will explore how these amazing biological tools evolved, how they work down to the level of single cells, and how brains build unique versions of reality from raw sensory data. From how a fly avoids a swatter to the intricate workings of your own eyes, we will uncover how life senses and makes sense of its surroundings. You will learn to ask critical questions about how we know what we know, understand the biological machinery that connects you to the universe, and appreciate the diverse ways organisms experience life. As a First Year Seminar, we will also introduce you to the hidden curriculum of college life and to skills to help you succeed in your first semester at UMass Amherst.