Oxford Sparks Big Questions
Episodes
How is technology being used to track Black Lives Matter protestors?
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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') -...
Can celebrities save the pangolin?
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
'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...
What does the 'R Rate' really mean?
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 e...
How do you measure pain?
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 mom...
How are we using energy in lockdown?
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Why is Oxford's Botanic Garden Making Gin?
17 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Established in 1621, the Oxford Botanic Garden was the first botanic garden in the UK. It has been - and remains – an invaluable resource for educat...
How tricky is it to make a COVID-19 tracing app?
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 u...
How do you fight malaria in the back of a van?
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Just one mosquito bite is enough to infect someone with malaria. Tackling this serious – sometimes fatal – subtropical disease is a key priority f...
What's in the Indian Ocean?
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Should we trust scientists?
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're living in extraordinary times, where graphs and statistics are splashed across newspaper front pages, and misinformation is rife. How do we know...