Back

Science is…
Exploring the Universe

Listen to the podcast

Science is…
For everyone,
For Enjoyment,
For Enlightenment

About Oxford Sparks, brought to you by Oxford University.

Science is…
Conserving endangered species

Watch the video

Science is…
Making construction more sustainable

Listen to the podcast

Science is…
Engineering autonomous robots

Listen to the podcast

Science is…
Helping you grow the perfect tomato!

Listen to the podcast

Science is…
Monitoring seabirds

Watch the video

Science is everywhere...
start here

View all content
Media

Our Latest Videos

Science is Everywhere…
Feed your curiosity and watch it here

View all videos
The Chagos Brain Coral

On the Edge of Existence: Rediscovering a Lost Coral

“I had been waiting so long to have access to these reefs again, to see whether this species had…

Play now
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s superalloys!

Did you know that aeroplanes are able to fly because of tiny, TINY structures, less than the width of…

Play now
Lessons from Lockdown Energy Use. Thumbnail image: Phil and Jan talk over a cup of coffee.

Lessons from Lockdown Energy Use

The months of lockdown were difficult. From an energy perspective, however, we were able to learn a lot. In…

Play now
The Winchcombe Meteorite - One Year On

The Winchcombe Meteorite – One Year On

On 28th February 2021, at around 10pm, a meteor streaked across the skies of the UK ☄️. Thanks to…

Play now
Origami Inspiration - 3D Printing and Robots

Origami Inspiration – 3D Printing and Robots

What does origami have to do with engineering…and 3D printing…and robots?! Quite a lot, it turns out! In this…

Play now
Sebastian performing a scooter trick in a skate park

Doing a PhD on Your Hobby – Scooters

Combining your work with your favourite hobby – surely that’s the dream? Meet Sebastian Pearson, an Engineering PhD student…

Play now

The Big Questions Podcasts

Science is Everywhere…
Listen to our question busting series here

Listen to our podcasts
View all podcasts
Stars and galaxies. Featured image for podcast episode "Why is the James Webb Space Telescope a big deal?"

Why is the James Webb Space Telescope a big deal?

Are we alone in the Universe? What exactly lies at the centre of our galaxy? Just like our podcast,…

Play now
Steel tubes in a workshop

What is green steel?

Steel has become an essential commodity in modern society – used in everything from our cars and our buildings…

Play now
How do you create autonomous robots that can investigate under the sea?

How do you create autonomous robots that can investigate under the sea?

How do you retrieve data from sensors embedded in underwater settings – such as those monitoring ecosystem change, for…

Play now
Tomatoes on the vine; image for podcast episode "How do you grow the perfect tomato?"

How do you grow the perfect tomato?

Is there anything nicer than a fresh, juicy, home-grown tomato on a summer’s day? Whether you like them sliced…

Play now
Ukraine flag

How is misinformation about the war in Ukraine spreading?

Misinformation about the war in Ukraine – and countless other topics, such as the pandemic and climate change –…

Play now
COVID world cartoon; featured image for podcast episode "How does a pandemic end?"

How does a pandemic end?

Masks, social distancing, lockdowns. We’ve become intimately familiar with numerous COVID-19 control measures over the past two years. Now,…

Play now

Meet the Scientists

Science is Everywhere…
Discover the people behind it here

View all profiles
Yu Mo profile image

Yu Mo

Yu’s broad area of research is in nature-based solutions for coastal resilience under climate change. Her current focus of…

View profile
Barbara Rossi profile image

Barbara Rossi

Barbara Rossi joined the University of Oxford in March 2019 as Associate Professor and Tutorial Fellow in Engineering Science…

View profile
Bryan Wilson profile image

Bry Wilson

In its simplest form, I’m a marine biologist, and I have long been fascinated by this microbial soup (that…

View profile
Nick Hawes profile image

Nick Hawes

I am an Associate Professor of Engineering Science in the Oxford Robotics Institute which is part of the Department…

View profile
Anna Bidgood profile image

Anna Bidgood

“With a background in metamorphic petrology, I look to apply my expertise to ore deposit systems related to battery…

View profile
Rebecca Garnett profile image

Rebecca Garnett

Hi my name is Becky! I did my Biological Sciences undergraduate degree at Oxford, and then I popped over…

View profile
Programmes

Our Programmes

Showcasing science participation.
See it in action here

Explore our programmes

Latest News

Science is Everywhere…
On the pulse updates you won’t want to miss

View all news

Genetic mapping of tumours reveals how cancers grow

Understanding which cells give rise to which areas of cancer can improve our understanding of how a tumour has…

Read article

Tackling suicide risk in people with mental disorders

The alternative approach to clinical practice, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, was developed by health practitioners and suicide prevention…

Read article

Environmental impact of 57,000 multi-ingredient processed foods revealed

A study estimating the environmental impact of 57,000 food products in the UK and Ireland has been published by…

Read article
Top