Oxford Sparks Big Questions
'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.
Episodes
Summer is here, and with heatwaves forecast, how do we keep our homes cool without relying on air conditioning?
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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...
Discover how the ancient art of origami is revolutionising sustainable energy!
Researcher Jingyi Yang, from the Department of Engineering Science, has loved origami since c...
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 anthrop...
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.
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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?
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?
<...
Volcanoes are pretty amazing! But how do they work on other planets?
Take Mars – it has the lar...
We are out in the wild today talking to bees!
In this behind the scenes episode, we visited Dr ...
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?
Neuros...
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?
Have you ever considered when kissing first started? Who, or what, first decided that this was a good way to show affection?
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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 way...
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)?
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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 science behind weather forecasts and how climate change is impa...
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 episode of the Big Questions podcast, we speak to Dr Egil...
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 generation that is smoke free? Would banning flavours in e...
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.
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About a year ago, we asked astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst why the James Webb Space Telescope is such a big deal. 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 lived up to expectations? We got back in touch with Becky for an update.
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 have to do with aliens, and, specifically, whether you would want to meet one? Well, you'll have to listen to find out! With Prof Jon Wade from the Department of Earth Sciences.
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