| You've Got a Nerve |
In the early 1900s, Charles Sherrington examined microscope slides of muscles, nerves, the spine and the brain and traced the connections between them building a picture of how muscles are controlled. Researchers today still use principles he established. |
Jo Dunkley, Robert Llewellyn |
5 March, 2015 |
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| Give Peas a Chance |
Nitrogen could be one of the most interesting elements in the periodic table. Find out more about this fascinating element and how research into peas and beans at Oxford could help feed the world! www.oxfordsparks.net/nitrogen. |
Jo Dunkley, Robert Llewellyn |
5 March, 2015 |
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| A Case of Crystal Clarity |
Oxford Sparks presents an adventure in X-ray crystallography. Find out more and read about the science behind the animation at www.oxfordsparks.net/crystal. |
Mel Giedroyc |
5 March, 2015 |
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| Jet Plight |
Take a journey through a jet engine with Ossie from Oxford Sparks. Find out more and read about the science behind the animation at www.oxfordsparks.net/jet. |
Elliott Webb |
5 March, 2015 |
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| A spin around the brain |
Take a journey around the brain with Ossie from Oxford Sparks. Find out more and read about the science behind the animation at www.oxfordsparks.net/mri. |
Ruby Wax |
5 March, 2015 |
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| "Explosions" Part 1 - Oppenheimer: father of the atomic bomb |
Professor David Wark, who was scientific adviser for the play ‘Oppenheimer’, explores the science and broad implications of one of the most explosive ideas in Human history: the atomic bomb. |
David Wark |
4 March, 2015 |
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| "Anomalies" Part 3 - Placebos and pain |
Professor Irene Tracey explains the placebo effect and how it is a normal part of our pain system. |
Irene Tracey, Chris Lintott |
10 February, 2015 |
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| "Anomalies" Part 2 - Turing Patterns |
Dr Christian Yates describes a phenomenon first noticed by the World War II code-breaker, Alan Turing. |
Christian Yates, Chris Lintott |
26 January, 2015 |
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| "Anomalies" Part 1 - Tinnitus |
Researcher Joshua Gold explains a condition called tinnitus, most often described as a persistent and annoying sound in one or both ears. |
Joshua Gold, Chris Lintott |
21 January, 2015 |
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| "Hidden Worlds" Part 3 - The virtual universe |
Dr Andrew Pontzen explains how chains of computers can be set up to simulate billions of years of development of the universe, but in a time period of weeks. |
Andrew Ponzen, Chris Lintott |
5 January, 2015 |
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| "Hidden Worlds" Part 2 - Robert Robinson’s chemical box |
Edward Imrie and Dr Stephen Johnston Edward Imrie and Dr Stephen Johnston talk about a surprising discovery – a collection of boxes, originally containing chocolates and soap, now full of tiny chemical vials thought to date back to the 1930s. |
Edward Imrie, Stephen Johnston |
5 January, 2015 |
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| "Hidden Worlds" Part 1 - Parallel Worlds |
Dr David Wallace discusses the concept of the multiverse – a physical reality that contains lots of universes, each of which inhabited by different versions of ourselves. |
David Wallace |
15 December, 2014 |
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| "There's no place like home" Part 3 - Exoplanets |
Ruth Angus talks about the search for life outside our solar system. In our own solar system, we have rocky planets towards the centre and gas giant planets further out. |
Ruth Angus |
15 December, 2014 |
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| "There's no place like home" Part 2 - The People of the British Isles |
Bruce Winney describes the influx of humans to the British Isles, including the Romans, Anglo Saxons and Vikings. By comparing and contrasting the genetic make-up of patients, researchers can explore how genetics can influence disease. |
Bruce Winney |
15 December, 2014 |
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| "There’s No Place Like Home" Part 1 - Wytham Woods |
Professor Ben Sheldon describes one of the World’s longest-running ecological studies, into birds in their natural environments. |
Ben Sheldon, Chris Lintott |
20 November, 2014 |
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| "Matters of Scale" - Complete Episode |
The issues of scale are investigated – from how properties change at very small scales, to the vastness of the Universe. Includes parts 1, 2 and 3. |
Pedro Ferreira, Alan Barr, Sylvia MacLain, Sonia Trigueros |
9 October, 2014 |
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| "Origins" - Complete Episode |
The subject of origins is explored - from human fertilisation to the Big Bang. Includes parts 1, 2 and 3. |
Jo Dunkley, Alex Halliday, Suzannah Williams, Dagan Wells, Chris Lintott |
9 October, 2014 |
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| "Matters of Scale" Part 3 - Nanomedicine |
Dr Sonia Trigueros explains how she is using nanotechnologies to create targeted drug delivery systems. Chemotherapy is a particularly harmful treatment, with patients losing their hair and suffering from infections due to damage to their immune systems. |
Sonia Trigueros, Chris Lintott |
8 October, 2014 |
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| "Matters of Scale" Part 2 - Biology and the Problem with Scale |
Dr Sylvia MacLain talks about how water creates a problem when researching biology. Structures can be studied when they are in solid form, but approximately 60% of our bodies are made of water. |
Sylvia MacLain, Chris Lintott |
8 October, 2014 |
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| "Matters of Scale" Part 1 - Extremes of Scale |
Professors Pedro Ferreira and Alan Barr explain what scale means to them, from particle physics to the visible universe. At the subatomic level, gravity has a surprisingly large effect and particles are so small that they have no size. |
Alan Barr, Pedro Ferreira, Chris Lintott |
8 October, 2014 |
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| "Origins" Part 3 - Origins of Human Life |
Drs Suzannah Williams and Dagan Wells explore the secrets and processes behind human fertilisation. Sperm and eggs must face huge challenges before they even meet. After fertilisation, they go on to form a small ball of cells with huge potential. |
Suzannah Williams, Dagan Wells, Chris Lintott |
7 October, 2014 |
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| "Origins" Part 2 - Origins of Earth and the Solar System |
Professor Alex Halliday explains how planets form from nothing but an area of space full of dust. Tiny differences between the elements that make up meteorites can give you an idea of how old they are and which part of the solar system they came from. |
Alex Halliday, Chris Lintott |
7 October, 2014 |
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| "Origins" Part 1 - Origins of the Universe |
Professor Jo Dunkley explains how we can look back in time at the light from the early Universe. This ultra-cold light can be used to create a picture from soon after the Big Bang. |
Jo Dunkley, Chris Lintott |
7 October, 2014 |
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| Love and Math |
A public lecture given by Edward Frenkel, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, talking around his best-selling book "Love and Math" followed by a conversation with Marcus du Sautoy and Q&A. |
Edward Frenkel, Marcus du Sautoy |
12 July, 2014 |
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| A Short Guide To Managing Your Time |
Sally LePage and Liz Timoney White |
Sally LePage, Liz Timoney White, Inés Dawson, Luke Ogilvie-Thomson |
5 February, 2014 |
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| Can Machines Think? |
Can machines think? How can we test computers for intelligence? Edward Grefenstette delivers a lively presentation about artificial intelligence. |
Edward Grefenstette |
17 December, 2013 |
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| Prime Numbers |
Dr Richard Earl of the Mathematical Institute, Oxford presents a talk about prime numbers. What they are and their role in internet security. |
Richard Earl |
17 December, 2013 |
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| Love and Sex in Victorian Fiction |
Victorian fiction is commonly thought of as treating love sentimentally and lacking all reference to sex. In this talk drawing on material from a book he is writing, Dr David Grylls, Fellow of Kellogg College, will contest such a view. |
David Grylls |
4 October, 2013 |
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| Rogue planet |
Oxford Sparks presents a journey around the planets. Find out more and read about the science behind the animation at www.oxfordsparks.net/planet. |
Chris Lintott |
15 April, 2013 |
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| Underwater volcano disaster |
Oxford Sparks presents a visit to the Stromboli volcano. Find out more and explore other volcano resources at www.oxfordsparks.net/animations/volcano. |
David Pyle |
15 April, 2013 |
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| Another case of heart trouble |
Oxford Sparks presents a look at how a single change in DNA can cause the human heart to go wrong. Find out more and read about the science behind the animation at www.oxfordsparks.net/animations/heart. |
Hugh Watkins, Anna Michell |
15 April, 2013 |
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| Towards absolute zero - a low temperature journey |
Oxford sparks presents a ride to the land of the extremely cold. Find out more, and read the science behind the animation at www.oxfordsparks.net/animations/coldchem. |
Tim Softley |
15 April, 2013 |
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| A quick look around the Large Hadron Collider |
Oxford Sparks presents a visit to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva. Find out more and explore other LHC resources at www.oxfordsparks.net/animations/lhc No protons were harmed in the making of this animation. |
Alan Barr |
15 April, 2013 |
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| The Romance of the Middle Ages |
Dr Nicholas Perkins talks about how romance functions as a genre in the middle ages, especially about how gifts and tokens were exchanged as signs of fidelity, specifically in Sir Orfeo, Sir Gawain, and King Horn. |
Nicholas Perkins |
21 June, 2012 |
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| The Chemistry Show |
Join 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! |
Malcolm Stewart, Fabrice Birembaut |
3 February, 2012 |
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| Hot Stuff: How Volcanoes Work |
Professor 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. |
David Pyle |
3 February, 2012 |
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| The Accelerate! Show |
Get 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. |
Andrew Steele, Suzie Sheehy |
3 February, 2012 |
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| Why Should Robots Play Football? |
Dr Stephen Cameron (Department of Computer Science) explains why thousands of people from across the world are busy trying to teach robots to play football. |
Stephen Cameron |
3 February, 2012 |
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| Tripping the Light Fantastic 2010 |
Light 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. |
Jonathan Wood |
18 December, 2010 |
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| Why Beckham chose the 23 shirt |
Why 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. |
Marcus du Sautoy |
21 December, 2009 |
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| The Early Universe and Alzheimer's |
Pedro discusses the Big Bang and the early Universe, and Jonathan details Oxford's groundbreaking research of the genetics of Alzheimer's. |
Marcus du Sautoy, Frances Ashcroft, John Wood, Pedro Ferreira, Tristram Wyatt |
3 September, 2009 |
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| Pheromones and Diabetes |
In the third edition of Inside Oxford Science zoologist Dr Tristram Wyatt explores the science of pheromones and Professor Frances Ashcroft tells us about her role in basic research into diabetes. |
Marcus du Sautoy, Frances Ashcroft, John Wood, Pedro Ferreira, Tristram Wyatt |
26 May, 2009 |
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| Dark Matter and Architecture in Science |
In the second edition of Inside Oxford Science Pedro explores dark matter and cosmic voids whilst Marcus leads a debate on whether great architecture can inspire great science. |
Marcus du Sautoy, Irene Tracey, Chris Lintott, Pedro Ferreira |
14 April, 2009 |
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| Marcus du Sautoy on Pi Day |
To celebrate Pi Day on March 14th, Marcus du Sautoy takes a closer look at the number that has has obsessed generations of mathematicians for millennia. |
Marcus du Sautoy |
12 March, 2009 |
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| Synaesthesia and Citizen Science |
Part one. The team examines the neurological condition synaesthesia and the recent Oxford study which sheds light on its genetic basis. Also explored is Galaxy Zoo, an innovative Oxford project which asks the public to help classify galaxies. |
Marcus du Sautoy, Irene Tracey, Chris Lintott, Pedro Ferreira |
2 March, 2009 |
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| Darwin 200: Dawkins and Harries |
Richard Dawkins and former Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries recreate the famous Oxford evolution debate of 1860. |
Richard Dawkins, Richard Harries, Jeremy Paxman |
16 February, 2009 |
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