Oxford Sparks Big Questions
Episodes
Can you predict the lottery?
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"It's as likely as winning the lottery." A phrase used in situations where something is, well, pretty near impossible. But is there anything you can ...
How does reading work?
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Aside from the odd unfamiliar or complicated word, a lot of us won't think twice when it comes to reading. It's a skill we take for granted. But, rela...
What's it like for women working in F1?
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Historically, only two women have ever started a Grand Prix race, and as of the 2026 season, no women are competing in Formula One. This male dominanc...
How do you convert CO2 to rock?
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We're living in an age of rapid technological development which - alongside many benefits - comes at an environmental cost. We speak to Dr Shurui Miao...
From the Milk on the Move podcast: Purity and Danger
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ro...
What was Einstein doing in Oxford?
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 e...
Where do baby penguins come from?
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
How can I use AI to raise my salary?
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 tha...
Could stuff be living on Saturn's moon?
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 P...
What happened to the birds in 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'?
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
What is quantum computing?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Want to make something feel immediately complicated, inaccessible or downright mysterious? Stick the word 'quantum' in front of it. Or, at least, that...
Could vaccinations stop people from getting cancer?
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
Why do I bite my nails?
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us will be familiar with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs), perhaps without even realising it. Such behaviours - which include hair-p...
How do you find a theoretical particle?
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you detect a particle that emits no light - in other words, something invisible? This is the intriguing challenge faced by scientists hunting f...
Is there a better way to screen blood?
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How does Ozempic actually work?
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ofte...
Why does a stranger's phone noise annoy me?
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What's the origin of water on Earth?
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 - ori...
How can robots investigate underwater volcanoes?
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What is it like to be on Countdown?
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"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 - b...
What happens after a dementia diagnosis?
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Is it OK to laugh at Tourette's?
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In popular culture, Tourette's syndrome is wrongly associated solely with outbursts of swearing in the context of lazy jokes. But in reality, the cond...
What is a dinosaur highway?
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 wilde...
How horny are hedgehogs?
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What can batteries of the future learn from eels?
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Electric eels are pretty amazing creatures. Their bodies can release powerful electric charges - in some cases reaching 650 volts! So, what can scient...
Why is my bottle cap attached to my plastic bottle?
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 somethi...
Why are we seeing the Northern Lights more often?
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 med...
Why track mistletoe?
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Why are birth rates falling in the UK?
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What is a wind drought?
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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, co...
How do you sequence the genomes of 70,000 species?
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
How do I keep my house cool without air conditioning?
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is here, and with heatwaves forecast, how do we keep our homes cool without relying on air conditioning? In the UK, soaring summer temperatu...
What time is it on the moon?
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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: wh...
How can origami help make energy?
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Discover how the ancient art of origami is revolutionising sustainable energy! Researcher Jingyi Yang, from the Department of Engineering Science, has...
How do you fossilise a brain?
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ep...
How do earworms work?
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
How are seals affecting fishing catches?
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 sam...
Why am I killing my house plants?
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How are volcanoes formed on other planets?
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Volcanoes are pretty amazing! But how do they work on other planets? Take Mars – it has the largest volcano in the solar system! But volcanologis...
Can we talk to bees?
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 insec...
Why are people obsessed with how cute cats are?
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How freaked out should I be about bed bugs?
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Lond...
When did we start kissing?
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever considered when kissing first started? Who, or what, first decided that this was a good way to show affection? Ancient historian, Tr...
How do you stay warm in your house without central heating?
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Instit...
How will climate change affect wine?
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
What are the odds of a white Christmas?
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 podc...
How do you reintroduce lions?
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lions are iconic species, but they are threatened with extinction. In Zambia, researchers and conservationists are working together to find ways of co...
Does banning smoking work?
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Nuffi...
Why are deep fakes happening?
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 kno...
What's the cool stuff that we've learnt from the James Webb Space Telescope?
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Would you want to meet an alien?
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What might an experimental petrologist (someone who makes rocks in the lab) and an immunologist (someone who studies the body's defence system) have i...
Could 'Jurassic Park' actually happen?
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Life finds a way"...This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Stephen Spielberg and Universal Studio's dinosaur masterpiece 'Jurass...
How can we use sound waves to eliminate infections?
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How do you convert CO2 into jet fuel?
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
How do you use social media to deliver humanitarian aid?
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Forced displacement of human populations owing to conflict or natural disasters is very difficult to measure. During these crises, the traditional met...
How has life expectancy changed after the pandemic?
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Demographers (researchers who study the statistics of human populations) look at factors such as birth rates, death rates, migration and life expectan...
Can you make a dengue fever forecast?
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Can my gut health improve my mental health?
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our gut microbiome (that's all the microorganisms - such as bacteria, viruses and fungi - living in our gut) is really important for healthy digestion...
Why do research on research?
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 foo...
How could spider sex unlock secrets to engineering?
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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! Bu...
Is the metaverse doomed?
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Can you cure jet lag?
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 be...
Should I feel guilty eating turkey at my Christmas dinner?
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
How can a simulation help treat kidney stones?
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 gathe...
How were new craters on Mars discovered?
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What makes the human brain so special?
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 too...
Why is the UK still in a drought?
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Why is the James Webb Space Telescope a big deal?
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What is green steel?
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How do you create autonomous robots that can investigate under the sea?
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you retrieve data from sensors embedded in underwater settings - such as those monitoring ecosystem change, for example? Well, when human diver...
How do you grow the perfect tomato?
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 deli...
How is misinformation about the war in Ukraine spreading?
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Misinformation about the war in Ukraine - and countless other topics, such as the pandemic and climate change - spreads like wildfire online. It aims ...
How does a pandemic end?
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Masks, social distancing, lockdowns. We've become intimately familiar with numerous COVID-19 control measures over the past two years. Now, with most ...
Why do we develop bad habits?
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ch...
Is the energy crisis going to get worse?
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past year, we've seen our energy bills reach unimaginable heights. The war in Ukraine is having devastating effects for Ukrainians and creati...
Is ordering a pizza bad for the climate?
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Big Questions podcast, we're talking about one of our favourite guilty pleasures - ordering a pizza! From the machinery require...
How do you monitor mosquitoes using their sound?
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 –...
How can we improve endometriosis treatment?
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Why build a magnetically shielded room?
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 rock...
Why is Rudolph's nose red?
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"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...
How do you tackle hate speech one emoji at a time?
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Online communication channels are popular, to say the least. For instance, there are 187 million active Twitter users per day alone. Sadly, these open...
Umm...Should I be wearing a mask?
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How can satellites prevent mining disasters?
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How do you stop megafires?
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 fa...
Could chocolate go extinct?
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 f...
Should all robots have an ethical black box?
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Is a snack tax on the horizon?
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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, t...
What's an arboretum anyway?
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An arboretum could be described as a "living library". A beautifully curated collection of woody plants from across the globe, each one carefully labe...
Did the pandemic make us moodier?
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lockdowns, social distancing, restrictions on 'normal' activities - we've all been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. But how has it impacted on our m...
Will climate change kill off the great tits?
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Their distinctive 'teacher teacher' call is synonymous with British gardens, but great tits are facing a big problem - climate change. As our springti...
Can we build an eco-friendly aeroplane?
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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, th...
Why are we searching for water on the moon?
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 b...
Has lockdown made me bad at sleeping?
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 expe...
Do all lions sound the same?
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
When did dogs become our best friends?
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Who should get the vaccine first?
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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? S...
Should we edit genes to make nicer people?
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Are video games good for my mental health?
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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, o...
Should I buy a real or a fake Christmas tree?
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How do I win Fantasy Football?
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 Oxfor...