Christmas Science Lectures
13 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 8 years ago - ★ - 1 ratingJoin the hundreds of school children from around the country taking part in the annual Oxford University Christmas Science Lectures, where world renowned scientists aim to entertain and inspire the next generation with their (often explosive) insights into science.
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Episodes
Carrots, spiders and red salt – a fascination with light capture in biology
December 15, 2015 13:32 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBUsing physics, chemistry and biology, the fascination with light capture in nature will be explained in a multi-coloured and animated well – prepare for six-eyed spiders, purple carrots and red salt. One of the most complex organs in higher life forms is the eye – even Charles Darwin commented that evolution of the eye by natural selection at first glance seemed "absurd in the highest possible degree”. Many living things on earth, from the most simple of single cell organisms to humans, respo...
The Chemistry Show 2015
December 14, 2015 15:52 - 47 minutes - 32.8 MBMalcolm Stewart and Dr Fabrice Birembaut are back again with their highly entertaining flash bang lecture! Let Santa and his elf take you on a discovery journey from cold to hot chemistry!
Social Media: The use of your online information for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
December 14, 2015 15:47 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBSocial media, everyone uses it, whether it is to connect with long lost friends on Facebook, or to share selfies on Instagram or Twitter! In this talk, I consider the positives & negatives, security & privacy and how it can be used supportively.
Radiotherapy: What is it? How does it work? And how will it change?
December 11, 2015 16:34 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBRadiotherapy has been going on since 1896, only months after the discovery of X-rays. We will explore what it is, how it works, and examine the change from X-ray beams to particle guns.
Epigenetics: What Makes You "You"?
December 11, 2015 16:08 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MBHave you ever wondered why identical twins aren’t, well, actually identical? Do you want to blame your parents for something about you that is different from everyone else in the family? Then you need to find out about Epigenetics. In this lecture, we will explore why identical twins are not identical despite sharing the same set of genes. Epigenetics tells the cell whether genes can be switched on or off and this varies even in identical twins. The environment, things like food and toxins, i...
Can Machines Think?
December 17, 2013 13:37 - 1 hour - 41.5 MBCan machines think? How can we test computers for intelligence? Edward Grefenstette delivers a lively presentation about artificial intelligence.
Prime Numbers
December 17, 2013 13:25 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBDr Richard Earl of the Mathematical Institute, Oxford presents a talk about prime numbers. What they are and their role in internet security.
The Chemistry Show
February 03, 2012 15:19 - 46 minutes - 53.3 MBJoin Dr Malcolm Stewart and Dr Fabrice Birembaut to find out just how much fun chemistry can be. Young, or not so young, you'll be entertained and educated by the sort of chemistry you never get to see at school: baffling, tantalising and LOUD!
Hot Stuff: How Volcanoes Work
February 03, 2012 15:11 - 41 minutes - 47.2 MBProfessor David Pyle (Department of Earth Science) presents an illustrated tour of some of the world's most active and dangerous volcanoes, and an exploration of what we have learnt about how volcanoes work.
The Accelerate! Show
February 03, 2012 15:09 - 53 minutes - 60.9 MBGet up close and personal with the exciting world of particle and accelerator physics. Learn how particle accelerators can do everything from recreating conditions just after the Big Bang to finding new ways to treat cancer.
Why Should Robots Play Football?
February 03, 2012 15:05 - 54 minutes - 62.3 MBDr Stephen Cameron (Department of Computer Science) explains why thousands of people from across the world are busy trying to teach robots to play football.
Tripping the Light Fantastic 2010
December 18, 2010 09:50 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBLight illuminates and gives life. It also reveals, enlightens, and brings understanding. Jonathan Wood shows us the inspiration and fascination to be found in the use of light, from Harry Potter's invisible cloak to killing cancer cells.
Why Beckham chose the 23 shirt
December 21, 2009 17:35 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBWhy did Beckham chose the 23 shirt? What makes prime numbers special? Marcus duSautoy sheds light on the so-called 'masculine' numbers, explains why prime numbers will help you survive, and opens our eyes to the fascinating world of mathematics.