Latest Earthscience Podcast Episodes
How do I keep my house cool without air conditioning?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - July 17, 2024 11:30 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsSummer is here, and with heatwaves forecast, how do we keep our homes cool without relying on air conditioning? In the UK, soaring summer temperatures can be brief but powerful. So, what can we do? Nicole Miranda, from the Department of Engineering, shares practical, energy-efficient and e...
What time is it on the moon?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - July 03, 2024 11:30 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsScientists are returning to the moon, but when they get there, what time is it? Dr Carly Howett from the Department of Physics explains the basics: what time is, and how we found a globalised way of understanding time zones so we can meet for a 3pm coffee or international video call, and every...
How can origami help make energy?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - June 19, 2024 11:30 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsDiscover how the ancient art of origami is revolutionising sustainable energy! Researcher Jingyi Yang, from the Department of Engineering Science, has loved origami since childhood. Now she’s channelling that passion to tackle engineering challenges. Using the intricate papercraft to develop c...
How do you fossilise a brain?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - June 05, 2024 11:30 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsWhen you think of fossils, you probably imagine dinosaurs. But did you know that soft body parts, like the brain, can become fossils too? In this episode, forensic anthropologist Alexandra Morton-Hayward explores the science of brain fossilisation. Skeletons have been found in wells, Incan te...
#025: Coral Reef Arks - Dr. Forest Rhower, Dr. Breeann Kirby, and Dr. Ty Roach
Biosphere 2 Podcast - May 23, 2024 03:51 - 1 hourToday we are joined by Dr. Forest Rhower, Dr. Breeann Kirby, and Dr. Ty Roach. Forest, Breeann, and Ty were all on site at Biosphere 2 as facilitators of the Desert Arks Meeting– a meeting where scientists and artists from institutions worldwide gather around a common experiment in coral reef ...
How do earworms work?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - May 22, 2024 11:30 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsHave you ever had a song stuck in your head that you just can't shake? A few bars or lyrics that just keep looping all day long? Well, we have delved into the science behind 'earworms' with Dr Jacob Kingsbury Downs from the Faculty of Music. A melodic mix of musical imagery, auditory neuroscie...
How are seals affecting fishing catches?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - May 08, 2024 11:30 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsAre seals the fishermen's friends or foes? The UK is home 35% of the world’s grey seals and we know they like to get their flippers on many of the same fish as we do. So, how are seals impacting the fishing industry? In our latest podcast, Dr Claire Tanner from the Department of Biology explor...
Why am I killing my house plants?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - April 24, 2024 11:30 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsHouse plants can be a cheerful pop of colour in your home. But do you find after the initial burst of life, your plants start to fade, looking sad and unhealthy? M Garrido Davies, from the Department of Biology, shares top tips for helping house plants to flourish, starting with learning m...
How are volcanoes formed on other planets?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - April 10, 2024 11:30 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsVolcanoes 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 w...
Three reasons why civilizations grew up around volcanoes
GEO Podcast - March 29, 2024 05:00 - 5 minutesIn this episode, I talk about the three reasons why people and civilizations grew up around active volcanoes. Why did people need to live close to the dangers of eruptions? What was it that drove and kept them there? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are cla...
Can we talk to bees?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - March 27, 2024 12:30 - 15 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsWe are out in the wild today talking to bees! In this behind the scenes episode, we visited Dr Rachel Parkinson’s bee recording studio to see insect neuroscience research in action. You might know that honeybees communicate with each other using the waggle dance, a minute choreograp...
Salt Weathering
GEO Podcast - March 21, 2024 13:00 - 6 minutesIn this episode, I talk about how salt acts as a physical weathering agent to break down rocks. Physical weathering is the breaking down of rocks without a chemical change, and salt can act as the agent that breaks down rocks especially close to the ocean, but also in salt-rich soils, etc. Vis...
Why are people obsessed with how cute cats are?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - March 13, 2024 12:30 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsCats are pretty adorable! Those big eyes, fluffy paws and cheeky personalities mean that most people find felines cute. But what is the science behind this reaction? Neuroscientist Professor Morten Kringelbach reveals how special technology can track what happens to signals in the brain in res...
How freaked out should I be about bed bugs?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - February 28, 2024 12:30 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsYou might have seen them in a hotel. You might have read about them in the news. Maybe you’ve seen them star in social media videos filmed on the London underground. But should we really be worried about bed bugs? The little critters evolved from feeding on bats and birds to humans thousan...
When did we start kissing?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - February 14, 2024 12:30 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsHave you ever considered when kissing first started? Who, or what, first decided that this was a good way to show affection? Ancient historian, Troels Pank Arbøll, and hedgehog researcher, Sophie Lund Rasmussen, joined forces to attempt to find an answer. Cuneiform scripts, which are the ...
How do you stay warm in your house without central heating?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - January 31, 2024 12:30 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsHow do we battle the energy use and soaring costs required to keep our homes warm? We spoke to Dr Brenda Boardman from the Environmental Change Institute about the best ways to keep out the winter chill. Did you know that draughts not only let cold air in, but they also push the warm out of yo...
Current Iceland Volcanic Activity 101
GEO Podcast - January 19, 2024 09:00 - 8 minutesIn this episode, I explain in simple terms what is happening in Iceland these last few years on the plate boundary. I explain the two geological phenomena in Iceland, the recent eruptions and earthquake activity, and how they are related to Plate Tectonics. Support the Show.
How will climate change affect wine?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - January 17, 2024 12:30 - 15 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsPeople have been interested in wine growing and quality vintages since the Roman times, but as the climate warms, what does this mean for the future of wine growers in the UK (and beyond)? Andrew Wood, from the Department of Biology, has been studying the records of wine critics, which rev...
Fake & Pseudo Fossils
GEO Podcast - December 22, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutesIn this episode, I talk about fake fossils and why people create them, as well as pseudo fossils such as dendrites. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Come and check out all we have to offer at GEOetc.com S...
Where does magma come from?
GEO Podcast - December 16, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutesIn this episode, I talk about how molten rock is formed inside the Earth - what are the mechanisms that cause our planet to produce molten rock to feed volcanoes? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them ...
What are the odds of a white Christmas?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - December 13, 2023 12:30 - 10 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsAs we count down to the festive season and the days get colder, will we see a white Christmas this year? In the last episode of the Big Questions podcast for 2023, Dr Neven Fučkar from the Environmental Change Institute tells us more about the science behind weather forecasts and how climate cha...
How do you reintroduce lions?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - November 29, 2023 12:30 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsLions are iconic species, but they are threatened with extinction. In Zambia, researchers and conservationists are working together to find ways of conserving these majestic animals and preventing them from becoming by-catch of poaching. In this new episode of the Big Questions podcast, we speak...
Does banning smoking work?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - November 15, 2023 12:30 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsAs the UK government proposes new plans to reduce the number of people who smoke, we talk to behaviour change researcher Nicola Lindson from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences to find out how the plan would work. Could we see a generation that is smoke free? Would banning fl...
Why are deep fakes happening?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - November 01, 2023 12:15 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsWelcome to the new series of the Big Questions podcast, where we ask Oxford scientists to shed light on everyday questions that you really want to know the answer to. Remember those photos or videos online that don’t look quite right? Perhaps you’ve heard a celebrity’s voice somewhere unex...
#024: The Surfing Scientist - Dr. Ty Roach
Biosphere 2 Podcast - October 28, 2023 17:28 - 2 hoursIn this episode, we are joined by Dr. Ty Roach. Ty is a molecular biologist, freelance scientist, and a decorated competitive surfer and wrestler. Ty is a former Postdoctoral Researcher at Biosphere 2, where he split time between the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and living on site at Biosp...
#023: The Biosphere 2 Lung - Bill Dempster
Biosphere 2 Podcast - September 18, 2023 07:30 - 1 hourToday we are joined by Bill Dempster. From 1985 to 1994, Bill Dempster served as the Director of Systems Engineering and chief engineer for Space Biospheres Ventures, the company responsible for designing and building Biosphere 2. As Systems Engineer, Bill was responsible for managing the integr...
#022: Space Analog for the Moon and Mars - Kai Staats
Biosphere 2 Podcast - August 15, 2023 16:05 - 1 hourIn this episode we are joined by Kai Staats. Kai is a veteran developer, designer, filmmaker, and scientist. Kai is the Director of SAM, Space Analog for the Moon and Mars, here at Biosphere 2. SAM is a hi-fidelity, hermetically sealed Mars habitat analog with greenhouse, living quarters, airloc...
How to Build a Research Institute, in 30 Short Years
For the Love of Science - August 02, 2023 23:14 - 17 minutes ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsIn this special episode, hear the story of BAERI’s founding from the founders themselves: husband and wife team Robert Bergstrom and Sharon Sittloh.
What's the cool stuff that we've learnt from the James Webb Space Telescope?
Oxford Sparks Big Questions - July 05, 2023 11:30 - 17 minutes ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsAbout a year ago, we asked astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst why the James Webb Space Telescope is such a big deal. Her answers were pretty exciting, to say the least. So, in the months that have passed since then, what has it found out? What mysteries of the universe has it begun to unravel, an...
All about limestone
GEO Podcast - June 30, 2023 05:00 - 9 minutesIn this episode, I talk about the different forms of limestone and how they form including chalk, coquina, fossiliferous limestone, travertine, and oolitic limestone. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Ch...
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