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Oxford Sparks Big Questions

Oxford Sparks Big Questions

By: Oxford Sparks
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About this listen

'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.Oxford University 2018 Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • How do you convert CO2 to rock?
    Mar 11 2026

    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, an experimental chemist who aims to decouple technological advancement from the impacts of increased carbon emissions, by finding a way to safely store carbon underground. As he explains, by finding a way to convert CO2 from the atmosphere into minerals, we could store carbon securely and sustainably into the future, and ultimately begin to mitigate the effects of climate change.

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    13 mins
  • From the Milk on the Move podcast: Purity and Danger
    Feb 25 2026

    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 systems that shape its production today. Hosts Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp and JC Niala uncover the fascinating interaction of tradition, knowledge and morality that makes milk so much more than just an everyday drink. Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify or head to milkingit.org for more information.

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    38 mins
  • Where do baby penguins come from?
    Feb 11 2026

    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 penguinologists (yes, that's a real word) Dr Ignacio Juarez Martinez and Dr Fiona Suttle, who have both graduated from Oxford's Department of Biology, and spent multiple field seasons in Antarctica monitoring penguin breeding behaviour. We hear how penguin breeding patterns appear to be shifting with changing temperatures, and how you can get involved in their research - just head to Penguin Watch to take part.

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    16 mins
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