How does Ozempic actually work?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 often associated with weight-loss, Ozempic is actually the brand name for a drug used to treat diabetes. So what exactly is it, how does it work, and is it safe? We chat to diabetes and endocrinology (hormone) expert Dr Annie de Bray to find out.
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Why does a stranger's phone noise annoy me?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 phone conversation. Or worse, their choice of music, made tinny and monotonous by the awkward angle of their phone speaker. It's irritating, sure, but for some people it goes beyond mild annoyance, into the realms of anger and panic. For these people - who suffer from a condition called 'misophonia' - phone noise, or sounds such as chewing or breathing, are a real problem. We chat to Dr Jane Gregory, a researcher at Oxford's Department of...
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What's the origin of water on Earth?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 - originate? While some theories suggest that hydrogen was delivered to Earth from space via asteroids, new research indicates that the building blocks for water may have been present on our planet all along. We chat to Tom Barrett from Oxford's Department of Earth Sciences to find out more.
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How can robots investigate underwater volcanoes?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 Della Sala about her recent fieldwork expedition to Santorini, where she used a Remotely Operated Vehicle, or ROV, to search for hydrothermal vents in the Aegean Sea. These vents - which are like hot springs on the sea floor - could provide vital insight into the volcanic and tectonic activity in the region.
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What is it like to be on Countdown?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
"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 - best known as the creator of the award-winning 'Tom Rocks Maths' outreach programme - about what it was like to step into Rachel Riley's shoes on Countdown. What's the best tactic for tackling the numbers round? How did he prepare? Did he really only have 30 seconds to find a solution? Tom gives us a glimpse behind-the-scenes of this British institution.
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What happens after a dementia diagnosis?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 after a dementia diagnosis? Is there a clear pathway ahead? We chat to Jasmine Blane, a DPhil researcher at the Oxford Brain Health Clinic, about the work she is doing to help support patients in the midst of a dementia diagnosis, and into the future.
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Is it OK to laugh at Tourette's?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
In popular culture, Tourette's syndrome is wrongly associated solely with outbursts of swearing in the context of lazy jokes. But in reality, the condition is far more complex than this stereotype suggests. When people without Tourette’s jokingly blame their lack of self-control on the condition, it spreads misinformation and invalidates those who actually live with it. Despite this, comedy - when created by those who experience stigma - can sometimes help challenge stereotypes and shift public perceptions. We chat with Dr Melina Malli from the Oxford Institute of...
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What is a dinosaur highway?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 wilderness for sure... But how about Oxfordshire? We chat to Dr Duncan Murdock from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History about an incredible discovery made right on our doorstep. Photo © Dr Emma Nicholls / Oxford University Museum of Natural History
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How horny are hedgehogs?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
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 - and usually solitary - little friends will be feeling in the mood for...romance. But what exactly does a female look for in a mate? And how do their intimate encounters even work when things are so very... spiky? Join us for this special Valentine's Day edition of the Big Questions Podcast, as we ask Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen (aka Dr Hedgehog) "how horny are hedgehogs?"
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What can batteries of the future learn from eels?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions
Electric eels are pretty amazing creatures. Their bodies can release powerful electric charges - in some cases reaching 650 volts! So, what can scientists learn from these animals? Could nature hold the key to advancing our own energy solutions? We chat to Dr Yujia Zhang about how electric eels might inspire the batteries of the future.
info_outlineVolcanoes 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 considered geologically dead, with no volcanic activity for around 500 million years. How do we know how this volcano formed then? Well, space missions have put probes and landers on Mars’ surface, providing evidence of a long lost hot spot beneath the surface.
What about the rest of the solar system? There are glimpses of volcanism on Venus and Jupiter’s moon, Io, too. But how do scientists know? Listen to our latest podcast to find out!
If you would like to learn even more about the volcanoes of Earth and beyond, why not give Tamsin’s new book, Adventures in Volcanoland, a read!