Oxford Sparks Big Questions Podcast
1) From the Milk on the Move podcast: Purity and Danger
This week we are featuring a special bonus episode from our friends at the Milk on the Move podcast. Milk on the Move explores milk's deep cultural roots, evolving scientific narratives and the system...Show More
2) What was Einstein doing in Oxford?
If you've had the chance to visit Oxford's History of Science Museum, you may have found yourself gazing upon a rather special blackboard. Featuring equations that connect the age, size and density of...Show More
3) Where do baby penguins come from?
For this year's Valentine's Day episode, we are getting up close and personal with those most beloved of birds - penguins. Giving us an insight into the love lives of our feathered friends are penguin...Show More
4) How can I use AI to raise my salary?
How much more money could you earn - doing the exact same role - if you're in possession of some solid AI skills? That's one of the core questions that Dr Fabian Stephany, a researcher at the Oxford I...Show More
5) Could stuff be living on Saturn's moon?
Are we alone in the Universe? It's surely one of the biggest questions out there. In our first episode of 2026 we chat to Dr Carly Howett, Associate Professor of Space Instrumentation in Oxford's Depa...Show More
6) What happened to the birds in 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'?
We all know it. We've all sung it. Perhaps we've even answered a quiz question about it*. The Twelve Days of Christmas has become as quintessentially festive as a figgy pudding, or the bad joke in you...Show More
7) What is quantum computing?
Want to make something feel immediately complicated, inaccessible or downright mysterious? Stick the word 'quantum' in front of it. Or, at least, that's how many of us feel. But don't worry! Experimen...Show More
8) Could vaccinations stop people from getting cancer?
Finding a cure for cancer is unarguably one of the biggest medical challenges that we face. But what if we could find a way to prevent cancer before it even starts? In this special extended edition of...Show More
9) Why do I bite my nails?
Many of us will be familiar with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs), perhaps without even realising it. Such behaviours - which include hair-pulling, nail biting and skin picking - can not onl...Show More
10) How do you find a theoretical particle?
How do you detect a particle that emits no light - in other words, something invisible? This is the intriguing challenge faced by scientists hunting for 'dark matter'. In our series finale, we talk to...Show More