The lush vegetation, abundant birdlife, and breathtaking beauty of Hawaii's Big Island—the world's largest—inspire countless superlatives. Equally inspiring are the planetary processes of destruction and creation so vividly revealed in Hawaii's biology, climate, and geology.

The island is home to Mauna Loa, the biggest volcano in the world; Kilauea, the most active; and Mauna Kea, the highest mountain when measured from the ocean floor. It also possesses eight of the planet's major climate zones, from desert to alpine.

Each zone is home to an astounding array of flora and fauna, ninety percent of which is endemic. That rate, the highest in the world, makes the island a living, breathing testimony to the processes of evolutionary biology.

Leading our exploration of this cradle of life and geological turmoil is the Lab of Ornithology's Scott Taylor, an expert on birds, superb evolutionary biologist, and CAU favorite. In his lectures and informal talks, Scott will sharpen our knowledge of the processes of biological and geological evolution.

Our home for the week will be a grand Victorian mansion in Hilo's Reed Island, where Hawaii's royalty once resided.

This program is part of Cornell Adult University’s (CAU), which offers acclaimed education vacations designed and led by Cornell faculty. Programs include off-campus travel adventures and weeklong on-campus summer courses open to all, including Cornell alumni, families, and friends.

For more information and to register, visit cau.cornell.edu, e-mail cauinfo@cornell.edu, or call 607.255.6260.