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.
- Update frequency
- every 14 days
- Average duration
- 13 minutes
- Episodes
- 101
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
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 channel…
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-Ha…
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 …
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 …
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 Departme…
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 c…
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 kn…
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 K…
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 a…
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 …
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 ch…
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 W…
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 Environmen…
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 th…
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…
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 video…
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 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 pas…
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 i…
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 g…
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, m…