Professor Kevin Cope presents an easygoing introduction to underground adventuring and artistry during the first days of modern science—the 1600s and 1700s when Maine began drawing European visitors, the American nation was just forming, and a serendipitous combination of improved technology and intense geological activity spurred underground exploration and depiction. Come enjoy colorful volcano art and startling (sometimes funny) stories of historic earthquakes, reports from mysterious caves, and more! Instructor Kevin L. Cope is the Adams Professor of English Literature at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. A lifelong student of the Enlightenment and its culture, he has published books and studies on topics ranging from early modern philosophy to joke books, televangelists, and images of George Washington. A frequent guest on cultural radio and television, he is known for his commentaries on American higher education as well as on such pop-culture topics as professional wrestling, parks, monuments, and colossi.