Oxford Sparks Big Questions
By Oxford Sparks
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Description
'Will my bacon sandwich kill me?', 'Is vaping better than smoking?', 'How do you become an astronaut?' - just some of the Big Questions we ask some of the brightest minds behind Oxford science. Join us in each podcast as we explore a different area of science.
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1 |
Is there a better way to screen blood? | What's the best gift you can give? To the millions of people whose lives have been saved by complete strangers, the answer would be simple: blood. But what exactly happens when blood has been donated, and how do we know it is safe? We chat to Dr Richard | 25 6 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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2 |
How does Ozempic actually work? | Whether you've been served an advert for it, or just heard about it in the media, it's likely that 'Ozempic' isn't a totally unfamiliar word. Now often associated with weight-loss, Ozempic is actually the brand name for a drug used to treat diabetes. So | 11 6 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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3 |
Why does a stranger's phone noise annoy me? | We've all been there...you're on the train, maybe tired after a long day, and all you can hear is one side of a fellow passenger's not-too-interesting phone conversation. Or worse, their choice of music, made tinny and monotonous by the awkward angle of | 28 5 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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4 |
What's the origin of water on Earth? | With more than 70% of its surface covered in water, Earth is rightly known as the "blue planet". But where did this water - so essential to life - originate? While some theories suggest that hydrogen was delivered to Earth from space via asteroids, new | 14 5 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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5 |
How can robots investigate underwater volcanoes? | What do you do when the subject of your research lies deep beneath the waves? Send down an underwater robot, of course! We chat to volcanologist Sofia Della Sala about her recent fieldwork expedition to Santorini, where she used a Remotely Operated... | 30 4 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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6 |
What is it like to be on Countdown? | "I still don't believe it happened..." What's it like to face the most famous clock on television? We chat to Oxford mathematician Dr Tom Crawford - best known as the creator of the award-winning 'Tom Rocks Maths' outreach programme - about what it... | 16 4 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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7 |
What happens after a dementia diagnosis? | One in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime - whether that is as a patient, or somebody caring for a loved one. But what happens after a dementia diagnosis? Is there a clear pathway ahead? We chat to Jasmine Blane, a DPhil... | 2 4 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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8 |
Is it OK to laugh at Tourette's? | In popular culture, Tourette's syndrome is wrongly associated solely with outbursts of swearing in the context of lazy jokes. But in reality, the condition is far more complex than this stereotype suggests. When people without Tourette’s jokingly... | 19 3 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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9 |
What is a dinosaur highway? | If you were hunting for some fossilised dinosaur footprints, where would you go? To a remote part of North or South America, perhaps? A deserted wilderness for sure... But how about Oxfordshire? We chat to Dr Duncan Murdock from the Oxford University... | 5 3 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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10 |
How horny are hedgehogs? | Shh...hedgehog! It always feels like a privilege to catch a glimpse of one, as it snuffles away under the garden fence. And come the spring, our spiny - and usually solitary - little friends will be feeling in the mood for...romance. But what exactly... | 19 2 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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11 |
What can batteries of the future learn from eels? | Electric eels are pretty amazing creatures. Their bodies can release powerful electric charges - in some cases reaching 650 volts! So, what can scientists learn from these animals? Could nature hold the key to advancing our own energy solutions? We... | 5 2 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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12 |
Why is my bottle cap attached to my plastic bottle? | Whether it's the bottle of water that you hastily grab at the train station, or your favourite guilty-pleasure fizzy pop, you may have noticed something different about your drinks lately - or at least their containers. Since July 2024, it's been EU... | 22 1 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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13 |
Why are we seeing the Northern Lights more often? | Even if you’d never previously given much thought to the Northern Lights, chances are they were brought to your attention in 2024, when our social media feeds were set ablaze with beautiful images captured by awe-struck stargazers. Usually... | 8 1 2025 | Free | View in iTunes |
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14 |
Why track mistletoe? | Mistletoe has long been associated with fertility, and even today, its presence hanging from the ceiling can prompt a few blushes. But, did you know, mistletoe is more than something beneath which to kiss at Christmas? It is actually a parasite, and... | 11 12 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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15 |
Why are birth rates falling in the UK? | Evolutionarily speaking, it makes sense to have a lot of children. At the very least, we might expect a population to replace itself, with each couple having an average of two children. However, this evolutionary logic is not mirrored by current data:.. | 27 11 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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16 |
What is a wind drought? | Chances are, you didn't notice the week-long wind drought that the UK experienced towards the end of 2023. However, this period of low wind speeds, combined with a cold snap, drove up our energy prices - something that may have caught your attention.... | 13 11 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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17 |
How do you sequence the genomes of 70,000 species? | Welcome back to the new series of the Oxford Sparks Big Questions Podcast! We are here to answer weird and wonderful questions about our world, with the help of science. And we’re starting with a very big question! How do you sequence the genomes of.. | 30 10 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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18 |
How do I keep my house cool without air conditioning? | Summer is here, and with heatwaves forecast, how do we keep our homes cool without relying on air conditioning? In the UK, soaring summer temperatures can be brief but powerful. So, what can we do? Nicole Miranda, from the Department of... | 17 7 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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19 |
What time is it on the moon? | Scientists are returning to the moon, but when they get there, what time is it? Dr Carly Howett from the Department of Physics explains the basics: what time is, and how we found a globalised way of understanding time zones so we can meet for a 3pm... | 3 7 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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20 |
How can origami help make energy? | Discover how the ancient art of origami is revolutionising sustainable energy! Researcher Jingyi Yang, from the Department of Engineering Science, has loved origami since childhood. Now she’s channelling that passion to tackle engineering... | 19 6 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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21 |
How do you fossilise a brain? | When you think of fossils, you probably imagine dinosaurs. But did you know that soft body parts, like the brain, can become fossils too? In this episode, forensic anthropologist Alexandra Morton-Hayward explores the science of brain... | 5 6 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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22 |
How do earworms work? | Have you ever had a song stuck in your head that you just can't shake? A few bars or lyrics that just keep looping all day long? Well, we have delved into the science behind 'earworms' with Dr Jacob Kingsbury Downs from the Faculty of Music. A melodic.. | 22 5 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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23 |
How are seals affecting fishing catches? | Are seals the fishermen's friends or foes? The UK is home 35% of the world’s grey seals and we know they like to get their flippers on many of the same fish as we do. So, how are seals impacting the fishing industry? In our latest podcast, Dr Claire.. | 8 5 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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24 |
Why am I killing my house plants? | House plants can be a cheerful pop of colour in your home. But do you find after the initial burst of life, your plants start to fade, looking sad and unhealthy? M Garrido Davies, from the Department of Biology, shares top tips for helping... | 24 4 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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25 |
How are volcanoes formed on other planets? | Volcanoes are pretty amazing! But how do they work on other planets? Take Mars – it has the largest volcano in the solar system! But volcanologist Tamsin Mather reveals that the red planet is now considered geologically dead, with no volcanic... | 10 4 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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26 |
Can we talk to bees? | We are out in the wild today talking to bees! In this behind the scenes episode, we visited Dr Rachel Parkinson’s bee recording studio to see insect neuroscience research in action. You might know that honeybees communicate with... | 27 3 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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27 |
Why are people obsessed with how cute cats are? | Cats are pretty adorable! Those big eyes, fluffy paws and cheeky personalities mean that most people find felines cute. But what is the science behind this reaction? Neuroscientist Professor Morten Kringelbach reveals how special technology can track... | 13 3 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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28 |
How freaked out should I be about bed bugs? | You might have seen them in a hotel. You might have read about them in the news. Maybe you’ve seen them star in social media videos filmed on the London underground. But should we really be worried about bed bugs? The little critters evolved... | 28 2 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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29 |
When did we start kissing? | Have you ever considered when kissing first started? Who, or what, first decided that this was a good way to show affection? Ancient historian, Troels Pank Arbøll, and hedgehog researcher, Sophie Lund Rasmussen, joined forces to attempt to... | 14 2 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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30 |
How do you stay warm in your house without central heating? | How do we battle the energy use and soaring costs required to keep our homes warm? We spoke to Dr Brenda Boardman from the Environmental Change Institute about the best ways to keep out the winter chill. Did you know that draughts not only let cold... | 31 1 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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31 |
How will climate change affect wine? | People have been interested in wine growing and quality vintages since the Roman times, but as the climate warms, what does this mean for the future of wine growers in the UK (and beyond)? Andrew Wood, from the Department of Biology, has been... | 17 1 2024 | Free | View in iTunes |
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32 |
What are the odds of a white Christmas? | As we count down to the festive season and the days get colder, will we see a white Christmas this year? In the last episode of the Big Questions podcast for 2023, Dr Neven Fučkar from the Environmental Change Institute tells us more about the... | 13 12 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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33 |
How do you reintroduce lions? | Lions are iconic species, but they are threatened with extinction. In Zambia, researchers and conservationists are working together to find ways of conserving these majestic animals and preventing them from becoming by-catch of poaching. In this new... | 29 11 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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34 |
Does banning smoking work? | As the UK government proposes new plans to reduce the number of people who smoke, we talk to behaviour change researcher Nicola Lindson from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences to find out how the plan would work. Could we see a... | 15 11 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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35 |
Why are deep fakes happening? | Welcome to the new series of the Big Questions podcast, where we ask Oxford scientists to shed light on everyday questions that you really want to know the answer to. Remember those photos or videos online that don’t look quite right? Perhaps... | 1 11 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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36 |
What's the cool stuff that we've learnt from the James Webb Space Telescope? | About a year ago, we asked astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst . Her answers were pretty exciting, to say the least. So, in the months that have passed since then, what has it found out? What mysteries of the universe has it begun to unravel, and has it.. | 5 7 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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37 |
Would you want to meet an alien? | What might an experimental petrologist (someone who makes rocks in the lab) and an immunologist (someone who studies the body's defence system) have in common? Well, it turns out, a shared interest in iron might be one thing. And what does all this... | 21 6 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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38 |
Could 'Jurassic Park' actually happen? | "Life finds a way"...This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Stephen Spielberg and Universal Studio's dinosaur masterpiece 'Jurassic Park'. A rousing soundtrack, gutsy kids, and graphics which have stood the test of time remarkably.. | 31 5 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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39 |
How can we use sound waves to eliminate infections? | Many of us will have had to deal with a bacterial infection at some point or another. The solution? Often, antibiotics. But as the issue of antibiotic resistance becomes more and more of a concern, might there be an alternative to tackling bacterial... | 17 5 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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40 |
How do you convert CO2 into jet fuel? | Increasing levels of CO2 in our atmosphere are a big cause for concern. So what if we could find a way to not only remove some CO2 from the air, but turn it into something useful too? That's exactly what Dr Tiancun Xiao and his team have been working... | 3 5 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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41 |
How do you use social media to deliver humanitarian aid? | Forced displacement of human populations owing to conflict or natural disasters is very difficult to measure. During these crises, the traditional methods of assessing changes in populations - which mostly rely on surveys - are simply not possible. We.. | 19 4 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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42 |
How has life expectancy changed after the pandemic? | Demographers (researchers who study the statistics of human populations) look at factors such as birth rates, death rates, migration and life expectancy. But what exactly is meant by the term 'life expectancy'? How is it calculated, and how has it... | 5 4 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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43 |
Can you make a dengue fever forecast? | More than half the world's population is at risk from dengue fever, a viral infection that is spread via the bite of an infected mosquito. While some cases of the disease can be mild, others can be extremely dangerous and even fatal - particularly if... | 22 3 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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44 |
Can my gut health improve my mental health? | Our gut microbiome (that's all the microorganisms - such as bacteria, viruses and fungi - living in our gut) is really important for healthy digestion. But did you know that it's also linked to our mental health? In this episode of the Big Questions... | 8 3 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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45 |
Why do research on research? | We've talked about a lot of different types of research on this podcast...from investigations into drought, to space exploration, to the future of food. But what about researching 'research' itself? That's right, on this week's episode of the Big... | 22 2 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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46 |
How could spider sex unlock secrets to engineering? | Not everyone is the biggest fan of spiders...we know that. They might not be the first thing that springs to mind when it comes to romance, either! But, you've got to admit, when it comes to engineering, they're pretty incredible. Capable of making up.. | 8 2 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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47 |
Is the metaverse doomed? | Ask an internet aficionado what the 'next big thing' is, and they might respond with 'the metaverse'. This is the idea that we could soon be wandering in a virtual world - a kind of global, immersive video game. But are we really just one VR headset... | 25 1 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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48 |
Can you cure jet lag? | If our internal body clock is telling us it's 3am, but the external environment is telling us it's 12 noon, that's called jet lag. It's a mis-match between what's going on inside our bodies and what's happening outside. Those who have travelled abroad.. | 11 1 2023 | Free | View in iTunes |
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49 |
Should I feel guilty eating turkey at my Christmas dinner? | While the tradition of eating turkey at Christmas can be traced back to Henry VIII, it's really only been a staple part of our Christmas dinner since the early 20th Century. However, in the UK, it's now hard to imagine a Christmas spread without a... | 14 12 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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50 |
How can a simulation help treat kidney stones? | Around 10% of us will experience kidney stones at some point in our life. They occur when waste products in the blood form small crystals, which gather together in the kidneys to form hard lumps. Small kidney stones (4mm in diameter) usually pass... | 30 11 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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51 |
How were new craters on Mars discovered? | When a space rock smashes into the surface of a planet, a hole - or crater - is formed. New craters might be relatively straightforward to identify on Earth, but what about on other planets, such as Mars? In this episode we hear from Dr Ben Fernando,... | 16 11 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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52 |
What makes the human brain so special? | We often hear that we're remarkably similar to our primate relatives, both in terms of our genetics and our behaviour. We're social beings. We use tools. But only humans have come to dominate the planet - why? Could the answer lie in the small... | 2 11 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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53 |
Why is the UK still in a drought? | Here in the UK, we have a reputation for grey, drizzly weather. But there's no denying that this summer was HOT and this summer was DRY. With soaring temperatures and little to no rain for weeks on end, it was no surprise that we found ourselves in a... | 19 10 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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54 |
Why is the James Webb Space Telescope a big deal? | Are we alone in the Universe? What exactly lies at the centre of our galaxy? Just like our podcast, the James Webb Space Telescope aims to answer some *very big questions*. Launched on Christmas Day 2021 and hurtling towards an orbit 1.5 million miles.. | 15 6 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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55 |
What is green steel? | Steel has become an essential commodity in modern society - used in everything from our cars and our buildings to the cutlery we use to eat our dinner. Unfortunately, the process used to traditionally produce steel (mining iron ore and combining it... | 1 6 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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56 |
How do you create autonomous robots that can investigate under the sea? | How do you retrieve data from sensors embedded in underwater settings - such as those monitoring ecosystem change, for example? Well, when human divers aren't an option (which is often the case) it's over to the autonomous robots! In this episode of... | 18 5 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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57 |
How do you grow the perfect tomato? | Is there anything nicer than a fresh, juicy, home-grown tomato on a summer's day? Whether you like them sliced up in a sandwich or blended into a delicious sauce, in this episode of the Big Questions podcast we reveal the secrets behind growing the... | 4 5 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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58 |
How is misinformation about the war in Ukraine spreading? | Misinformation about the war in Ukraine - and countless other topics, such as the pandemic and climate change - spreads like wildfire online. It aims to confuse people, make them question their own knowledge, and ultimately raise suspicion and doubt.... | 20 4 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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59 |
How does a pandemic end? | Masks, social distancing, lockdowns. We've become intimately familiar with numerous COVID-19 control measures over the past two years. Now, with most restrictions gone (at least here in England), does that mean that the pandemic is really over? In... | 6 4 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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60 |
Why do we develop bad habits? | From biting our nails to idly scrolling on our phones, we all have those habits we wish we didn't. In this episode of the Big Questions Podcast, we chat to neuroscientist Charlotte Collingwood about what makes a habit, why we develop them, and how we... | 23 3 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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61 |
Is the energy crisis going to get worse? | Over the past year, we've seen our energy bills reach unimaginable heights. The war in Ukraine is having devastating effects for Ukrainians and creating ripples for international fuel costs. We're now in the midst of a 'perfect storm' when it comes to.. | 9 3 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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62 |
Is ordering a pizza bad for the climate? | In this episode of the Big Questions podcast, we're talking about one of our favourite guilty pleasures - ordering a pizza! From the machinery required to harvest the wheat for the dough, to the cardboard packaging your finished pizza is delivered in,.. | 23 2 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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63 |
How do you monitor mosquitoes using their sound? | What do you think of when someone says “the most dangerous animal in the world”? A lion perhaps? Or a poisonous frog? Well, one species of mosquito – Anopheles gambiae – is often referred to as such, owing to its enhanced ability to transmit... | 9 2 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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64 |
How can we improve endometriosis treatment? | Did you know there are different types of pain? In this episode of the Big Questions Podcast, we chat to Dr Lydia Coxon, a researcher in the Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health at Oxford. Lydia is looking at the mechanisms that... | 26 1 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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65 |
Why build a magnetically shielded room? | One way to delve deep into the ancient history of the Earth - or other planetary bodies for that matter - is to examine the magnetism recorded by rocks. Kind of like a fossilised magnetic fingerprint. But trying to do this in an environment where... | 12 1 2022 | Free | View in iTunes |
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66 |
Why is Rudolph's nose red? | "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose..." Many of us will be very familiar with Santa's famous antlered friend. But did you know that many reindeer actually do have red noses? But why? In this festive episode of the Big Questions... | 22 12 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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67 |
How do you tackle hate speech one emoji at a time? | Online communication channels are popular, to say the least. For instance, there are 187 million active Twitter users per day alone. Sadly, these open channels of communication also open up the potential for harm, through online hate speech. The... | 8 12 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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68 |
Umm...Should I be wearing a mask? | In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a lot of confusion, as we all tried to figure out what we should and shouldn't do to best protect ourselves and others. Fortunately, we now have more definitive answers to some of our most pressing... | 24 11 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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69 |
How can satellites prevent mining disasters? | Satellites have been orbiting our planet for the past few decades. We might be familiar with how they can be used to track weather, or beam television and phone signals around the world. But did you know, that by capturing images of the Earth outside... | 12 11 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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70 |
How do you stop megafires? | From California to Greece to Australia, it seems like every time we switch on the news there's another wildfire report. Some fires are natural - in fact, they're a fundamental part of many ecosystems - but the severity and frequency of the wildfires... | 3 11 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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71 |
Could chocolate go extinct? | Chocolate. It’s rare to find anyone who isn’t partial to a square or two of this delicious treat. But is its very existence in danger? (*Cue worried faces.*) In this episode of the Big Questions Podcast we chat to chocoholic and researcher... | 20 10 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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72 |
Should all robots have an ethical black box? | Nowadays, the idea of encountering robots in our daily lives isn't pure science fiction. Many of us interact with AI every day, and the use of robots in, for example, healthcare settings, is already on the horizon. But what if something goes wrong?... | 23 6 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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73 |
Is a snack tax on the horizon? | Do you remember when the price of fizzy drinks in the UK went up slightly a few years ago? Soda fans, perhaps you remember all too clearly...! Well, this was because the UK government introduced a sugar tax (or the Soft Drinks Industrial Levy, to be... | 9 6 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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74 |
What's an arboretum anyway? | An arboretum could be described as a "living library". A beautifully curated collection of woody plants from across the globe, each one carefully labelled and managed. In this episode of the Big Questions Podcast we chat to Ben Jones, Arboretum... | 26 5 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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75 |
Did the pandemic make us moodier? | Lockdowns, social distancing, restrictions on 'normal' activities - we've all been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. But how has it impacted on our mood and mental wellbeing? We chat to Dr Maxime Taquet from the Department of Psychiatry about 'mood... | 12 5 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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76 |
Will climate change kill off the great tits? | Their distinctive 'teacher teacher' call is synonymous with British gardens, but great tits are facing a big problem - climate change. As our springtime becomes warmer and begins earlier, peak caterpillar abundance is also shifting earlier. As a... | 28 4 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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77 |
Can we build an eco-friendly aeroplane? | Remember those days when it was possible to climb aboard a plane and jet off around the world? Well, while we might be yearning for foreign shores, there's no denying that air travel comes with a big ol' carbon footprint. But is it possible to make... | 14 4 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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78 |
Why are we searching for water on the moon? | The moon may be the closest planetary body to us, but we still have a lot to learn about it. For example, what is the water-cycle like on an airless body such as the moon? How much water can be found there, and could we one day utilise this water for... | 31 3 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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79 |
Has lockdown made me bad at sleeping? | We're over a year into the coronavirus pandemic, and it's affected our lives in many ways - including, for many of us, how we sleep. You may have experienced changes to your sleep pattern (particularly if you waved goodbye to your commute last March),.. | 17 3 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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80 |
Do all lions sound the same? | If you've ever been lucky enough to hear a lion roar (whether that's at the zoo or in the wild - hopefully at a safe distance!), you'll know that it's a truly bone-shaking experience. But do lions have a unique roar, or do they all sound the same? How.. | 3 3 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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81 |
When did dogs become our best friends? | In this year's Valentine's episode, we're exploring one of the most special relationships around. That's right - the one between us and our dogs! We often hear pooches described as "(wo)man's best friend", but for how long has this been the case? Join.. | 17 2 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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82 |
Who should get the vaccine first? | It's a question that's on the lips of politicians, scientists and policy-makers right across the globe - who should get the COVID-19 vaccine first? Should it be the elderly and clinically vulnerable, healthcare professionals and other frontline... | 3 2 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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83 |
Should we edit genes to make nicer people? | Is it possible to edit someone's genes before they are born to make them a nicer, kinder, more moral person? Not only that - but, importantly, should we do this? When it comes to gene editing for moral enhancement, there are many ethical points... | 20 1 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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84 |
Are video games good for my mental health? | Most of us have probably heard of video games being described as "addictive", but is there evidence of this? Are they damaging to our mental health, or could they actually have a positive impact on our metal wellbeing? In this episode of the Big... | 6 1 2021 | Free | View in iTunes |
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85 |
Should I buy a real or a fake Christmas tree? | It's that time of year - the festive jumpers are going on, the lights are going up, and we're ready to decorate our Christmas trees. But when it comes to choosing your fir, what do you go for - real or fake? Perhaps you have a trusty old... | 16 12 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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86 |
How do I win Fantasy Football? | Did you know that the winner of the 2019/2020 Fantasy Premier League, beating over 7 million other players, was Dr Joshua Bull - a researcher at Oxford's Mathematical Institute? How did he win? Turns out that 'mathematical thinking' and a strategic... | 2 12 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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87 |
How is technology being used to track Black Lives Matter protestors? | We've probably all heard the phrase 'Big Brother is watching you' (a reference to the fictional character in George Orwell's dystopian novel '1984') - but are we really under constant surveillance? Is it actually possible to be a fully functioning... | 18 11 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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88 |
Can celebrities save the pangolin? | 'Influencers' are here like never before...log on to social media, and there will be someone there to tell you what to cook or what to wear...But what about when it comes to wildlife conservation? For instance, how much impact can a celebrity have... | 4 11 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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89 |
What does the 'R Rate' really mean? | We're back with a brand new series of the 'Oxford Sparks Big Questions Podcast'! And - in the Autumn of 2020 - where else could we start but with an episode answering a big question related to COVID-19? We're all used to hearing a lot of pandemic... | 21 10 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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90 |
How do you measure pain? | We all feel pain differently. What to one person may be the worst pain in the world, might be a mild irritation to another person; but why? At the moment, we don’t have a thorough understanding of how pain is processed, meaning it is difficult to... | 15 7 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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91 |
How are we using energy in lockdown? | Things have changed a lot over the past few months – including, for many of us, our daily routine. But how has this impacted our energy usage? In this week’s episode of the Big Questions podcast, we chat to Dr Philipp Grünewald from Oxford’s... | 1 7 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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92 |
Why is Oxford's Botanic Garden Making Gin? | Established in 1621, the Oxford Botanic Garden was the first botanic garden in the UK. It has been - and remains – an invaluable resource for education, scientific research, and conservation. But recently it’s added another feather to its cap,... | 17 6 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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93 |
How tricky is it to make a COVID-19 tracing app? | As we search for a way out of the global coronavirus crisis, there’s been plenty of discussion surrounding a potential COVID-19 tracing app. Many of us carry a mobile phone with us wherever we go, so it seems logical to use this pre-existing... | 20 5 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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94 |
How do you fight malaria in the back of a van? | Just one mosquito bite is enough to infect someone with malaria. Tackling this serious – sometimes fatal – subtropical disease is a key priority for the World Health Organisation; but how can we move forward in the fight against it? Specifically,... | 6 5 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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95 |
What's in the Indian Ocean? | Much less is known about the Indian Ocean than either the Atlantic or Pacific. It's also the least protected. What secrets lie beneath the waves? What new species wait to be discovered…? Dr Paris Stefanoudis tells us all about the Nekton project,... | 22 4 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Should we trust scientists? | We’re living in extraordinary times, where graphs and statistics are splashed across newspaper front pages, and misinformation is rife. How do we know which sources of information are reliable? How do scientific researchers go from having an idea to.. | 8 4 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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How garlicky is your garlic? | When it comes to mass-producing food, it’s important to make sure the taste is consistent, and good! But how can we detect the taste of something without eating it ourselves? Prof Richard Compton and his team in the Department of Chemistry are... | 25 3 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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98 |
What does my family want to know about coronavirus? | Coronavirus has been hitting the headlines since late 2019, and is now at the forefront of many people’s minds. We have a lot of questions, and it can be difficult to find answers. In this episode of the Big Questions podcast, Emily is asking her... | 11 3 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Can we diagnose heart attacks faster? | With one person admitted to hospital every five minutes in the UK because of a heart attack, the ability to diagnose and treat them quickly is vital. In this episode of the ‘Big Questions’ podcast, find out how Dr Tingting Zhu is using a machine... | 26 2 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Can data find me a date? | Looking for ‘The One’, or maybe just a date for Valentine’s Day? The dating scene has changed significantly over the past ten years, not least because of the increasing popularity of online dating websites and dating apps. In this special... | 12 2 2020 | Free | View in iTunes |
| 100 Items |
Customer Reviews
The best science podcast
Every episode is full of fascinating, cutting-edge science from a wide range of fields. It's brilliant. But, there are a lot of podcasts with interesting science in them - what makes this one *special*, and a must-listen for everyone, is host Emily Elias. She skillfully guides us through these topics with great humour, getting the best out of her interview subjects and putting togehter a really unmissable show.
Straight into my top 10
First class -- short, clever, unpredictable -- straight into my top 10 after a few listens.
Amazing!
Fantastic science podcast for all audiences! Must listen!
