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Scientists
How is technology being used to track Black Lives Matter protestors?
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') - but are we really under constant surveillance? Is it actually possible to be a fully functioning member of modern society without being tracked by some sort of surveillance system? And how is...
Why do diets fail?
It's a new year (and a new decade!) and many of us will be looking to turn over a new leaf when it comes to diet and lifestyle. But - as anyone who's tried one will know - diets are VERY difficult to stick to. In this episode of the Big Questions podcast, we ask Professor Heidi de Wet from the University of Oxford's Department of Physiology,...
Where is my hoverboard?
According to the much-loved 'Back to the Future' franchise, we should all be zipping around on hoverboards by now. As we come to terms with our disappointment that they STILL haven't hit the shelves, Dr Clara Barker from Oxford University's Materials Science department discusses the technology that would be required to build one, and we learn...
Katherine Shirley
I have always been interested in space and geology, so I am excited to be in a field where I can study rocks on other planets as part of a number of space missions - the LRO, OSIRIS-REx, Comet Interceptor, and Lunar Trailblazer missions.
Learn more about the statues in the court of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is often described as a 'cathedral to science', and the statues that grace the central court certainly make it seem that grand! This information sheet will tell you all about the famous scientists from Oxford and worldwide who have...
Should we trust scientists?
We’re living in extraordinary times, where graphs and statistics are splashed across newspaper front pages, and misinformation is rife. How do we know which sources of information are reliable? How do scientific researchers go from having an idea to publishing their findings, and advising on policy? In this week’s episode of the ‘Big Questions...
Joshua Bull
I’m a mathematician who applies maths to cancer and medicine – I didn’t even realise that existed when I was at school! I studied Maths and Philosophy at the University of Southampton and became interested in applied maths there, but I always thought that “applying maths” to real world problems meant “doing some sort of physics”.
How garlicky is your garlic?
When it comes to mass-producing food, it’s important to make sure the taste is consistent, and good! But how can we detect the taste of something without eating it ourselves? Prof Richard Compton and his team in the Department of Chemistry are experts in electrochemical sensors, and in this episode of the Big Questions podcast he tells us all...
Barley Rose Collier Harris
I always thought I was a physicist - with the first name 'Barley Rose' I thought studying plants would be too much of a cliché. I took a gap year before uni and was in need of a job, I wanted to do something ‘sciency’ before I started my undergrad and with no physics institutes nearby in Norfolk I applied for a job at the John Innes centre and...
Joe Woodman
I’ve always been really interested in the natural world. When I was younger, this took the form of spending most of my time outdoors looking for birds, bugs and other wildlife, while my time indoors was often spent reading about local natural history. As I progressed through school, I became more and more interested in learning about the...
