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Oxford Sparks

@oxfordsparks.bsky.social
143 followers 99 following 51 posts

A place to explore the cutting-edge scientific research taking place at the University of Oxford (@ox.ac.uk) and meet the scientists behind it 🧑🏽‍🔬🌍🧪🦋

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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Could we develop a cancer vaccine? That's what Prof David Church & his team in the Centre for Human Genetics @ndm.ox.ac.uk are investigating. 📽️ Find out more in our new video: bit.ly/CancerVaccineFlags
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OxfordDPAG @oxforddpag.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
come and join us if you are in Oxford
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
🎙️ We chat to computational neuroscientist @loopyluppi.bsky.social (@oxfordpsychiatry.bsky.social) about digital brain twins & how they could help guide the best treatment plan for a *specific* patient with a brain condition. 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/…
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
😎 Join us TOMORROW for Oxford Sparks Live!  📆 4 July 11am-4pm 📍Oxford Uni Science Park, Begbroke We'll have talks from some of the researchers behind our videos, on topics such as climate justice & Georgian satirical science cartoons! Book here (it's free): oud.co.uk/wonder26
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
🎙️How can we use #AI to make drugs? We chat to @fergusimrie.bsky.social (@oxfordstatistics.bsky.social), whose project OpenBind aims to create the world's largest open-access dataset of protein-ligand interactions. 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/…
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
The human #heart is a biological powerhouse that has the capacity to beat billions of times. But what prompts that very first #heartbeat? And how can #ComputationalArt help us to unravel the mystery? @clcortex.bsky.social explains in our brand new video. 🎥 bit.ly/HeartsAnew  1/2
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
When we jet off on a #aeroplane, a lot of us feel some guilt over our #CarbonFootprint. So, what if we could reduce the emissions associated with air travel? We chat to Dr Tamsin Whitfield @oxfordmaterials.bsky.social about her research developing new alloys for aeroplane engines. 1/2
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
🎙️Until recently, most of us had never heard of the #hantavirus. Now it's making headlines and - with memories of COVID-19 still fresh in our minds - unsurprisingly causing some anxiety. We chat to Dr Danny Wright @ovg.ox.ac.uk to learn more about the virus & how it spreads. 1/2
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Culling & conservation may not seem to go together, but when there are no natural predators and populations are increasing, culling may be the only viable option. We chat to Jess Frater @wildcru.bsky.social about the Scottish #deercull, public perceptions, and conservation messaging. 1/2
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
🎙️ Could #maths help you win that life-changing jackpot? We chat to @jamesmunromaths.bsky.social about probability, chaos theory & our chances of winning the #lottery... 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/…    @oxfordmathematics.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
📽️ #Phytoplankton: the lungs of the Earth 🌍 Join @arianwenherbert.bsky.social behind-the-scenes on #RSSJamesCook and find out about some carbon-fixing heroes... 👀 Full video: bit.ly/Phyto_lungs #EarthDay2026 @biology.ox.ac.uk @mplsoxford.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
🎙️ A lot of us won’t think twice when it comes to #reading, but what #brain processes lie beneath this complex skill? We chat to @olejensen.bsky.social  about his research. 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/…  @oxfordpsychiatry.bsky.social @oxexppsy.bsky.social
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
🎙️ We're looking at the extreme #GenderGap that exists in #motorsports. The divide doesn't stop at the track: Dr Kate Bancroft estimates that women fill just 5% of technical roles 🏎️. 🎧 pod.fo/e/3bfb9c @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
📽️ Science and the Satirists According to cultural historian Dr Kate Watson, the #satirical #caricatures of #GeorgianBritain were the social media of their day... Watch the full video: bit.ly/ScienceandtheSatirists  @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social @mplsoxford.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
🎙️ How do you convert CO2 to rock? We often hear about #CarbonCapture as a potential aid to reducing #CO2 in the atmosphere. But how could we store it securely & sustainably? We chat to @shuruimiao.bsky.social  🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/… @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
📽️ #Meteorites: the magnetic key to the early #SolarSystem  How can we begin to understand events that happened billions of years ago? Fortunately, there are clues, as planetary scientist @han-san-planets.bsky.social explains...🧲 👀 bit.ly/MagneticKey  @oxuniearthsci.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
🎙️ If you've visited @hsmoxford.bsky.social, you may have seen Einstein's blackboard. But what was #Einstein doing in #Oxford in the 1930s? We chat to @jcniala.bsky.social to find out... 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/wha... @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
📢 We need your votes! We're so excited to announce that our #ClimateJustice film has been shortlisted for the Audience Award at the #LabMeCrazy Science Film Festival! Please pop along to www.unav.edu/web/labmecrazy/proyecc… & vote - we'd be so grateful of your support! 🙏 @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
🎙️ Where do baby penguins come from? We're joined by #penguinologists Dr Ignacio Juarez Martinez & Dr Fiona Suttle to learn all about the breeding habits of #penguins, for our #Valentines special 🐧💕 🎧 pod.fo/e/38d8ea @biology.ox.ac.uk @mplsoxford.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
📽️ #Santorini might be better known for its beaches & archaeological sites, but did you know it's also a #volcano? 🌋 Join @sofiadellasala.bsky.social as she takes us behind-the-scenes on her first #fieldwork #expedition, exploring the world of #hydrothermal systems... @oxuniearthsci.bsky.social 1/2
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
🎙️ New #podcast! Dr Fabian Stephany (@oii.ox.ac.uk) strongly believes that #AI isn't here to steal our jobs, and that actually #AItools can be used to help us secure better jobs and raise our salaries. So...how? 🎧 pod.fo/e/38260e @ox.ac.uk @mplsoxford.bsky.social
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
We chat to space instrumentation specialist Dr Carly Howett about the search for life in the outer Solar System, and why #Saturn's icy moon #Enceladus could be a great place to look... 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/cou... @oxfordphysics.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
📽️ "I willingly contracted #malaria..." Malaria ‘challenge’ studies teach us more about how the body responds to malaria infection and how we can improve malaria vaccines and treatments. But how does a malaria ‘challenge’ work and what is it like to take part in these studies? 1/2‬‬‬‬‬‬
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
🎙️ What happened to the #birds in #TheTwelveDaysOfChristmas? 🦢🎶 We take a look at one of our favourite #ChristmasCarols with Prof Andy Gosler. 🎧 Listen here! pod.fo/e/3638a8 @egioxford.bsky.social @biology.ox.ac.uk @oxfordhumsci.bsky.social @oxford-anthro.bsky.social
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
🎙️ As we near the end of the International Year of Quantum, we ask experimental physicist William Cutler to break it down for us...what exactly is quantum computing? 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/wha... @oxfordphysics.bsky.social @mplsoxford.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @ukri.org #QuantumComputing
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
🎙️ Could #vaccinations stop people from getting #cancer? What if we could stop cancer before it even starts? We chat to Prof Sarah Blagden @oncology.ox.ac.uk & Anna Fry. 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/cou... @sarahblagden.bsky.social @oxfordcancer.bsky.social @medsci.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
🎙️ The #BigQuestions #Podcast is back for a brand new series! We're kicking off with a question that we know will resonate with many people... 🤚 Why do I bite my nails? We chat to Prof Clare Mackay (@claremackay.bsky.social) to find out all about #BFRBs 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/why...
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Oxford Mathematics @oxfordmathematics.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 94? Happy Birthday Roger.
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
🎙️ In the series finale of the Big Questions #Podcast, we chat to Lizzie Bloomfield @oxfordphysics.bsky.social about #DarkMatter, how we know it's out there, and why she's heading deep beneath an Italian mountain to try and find it... 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/how... @ox.ac.uk
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
🔍 Suspicious Minds: The Secrets of Fossil Brains 🧠 #Fossils provide us with a tantalising glimpse into the past. But can something as seemingly fragile as the #brain fossilise? Alexandra Morton-Hayward tells us about her research into ancient nervous tissue, and what it might teach us. 1/2
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
You can learn more about Antje's work in our next documentary, out soon! Stay tuned! 👀 #OxfordClimate
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
🎙️ New #podcast! We chat to Dr Richard Mayne from Oxford's Experimental Medicine Division about #genomics, Next-Generation Sequencing, #BloodScreening (...and #StarTrek!). @ndm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk @nihr.bsky.social 🎧 pod.fo/e/2eed29
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
🎥 "It might never happen"...Remembering forgotten #earthquakes in Central Asia What happens when natural disasters fade from living memory? How do societies perceive #risk? @richardthomasw.bsky.social & Dr Neill Marshall‬ share their fascinating #research @ox.ac.uk bit.ly/444sMFA 1/2
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"It might never happen..." Remembering forgotten earthquakes in Central Asia
Where in the world do earthquakes pose the greatest risk? Japan, perhaps...or California? When devastating earthquakes hit the news headlines, they implant themselves in our memory, and we create a long-lasting association between the location and the event. But what about the earthquakes that lie outside of living memory? Are the locations of these events perceived to hold the same degree of risk? In this film, Professor Richard Walker and Dr Neill Marshall from Oxford's Department of Earth Sciences share their work on the forgotten earthquakes of Central Asia, and explain the societal implications of natural disasters that have faded into the past.
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
🎙️ How does Ozempic actually work? You might have heard about it in the media, but what actually *is* #Ozempic? Marketed as a drug for #diabetes, it is now commonly associated with #weightloss. We chat to #hormone doctor Annie de Bray about how it works. 🎧 pod.fo/e/2e38fe
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
🎙️ PODCAST | The tinny sound of music blaring from a nearby phone is enough to irritate anybody, but for #misophonia sufferers it's more than a mere annoyance. Find out more with ‪@drjanegregory.bsky.social‬‬ from @oxexppsy.bsky.social in our brand new #podcast episode 👇‬ 🎧 pod.fo/e/2db930
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
🎙️ NEW PODCAST: What's the origin of water on Earth? 🌏💧 Did #hydrogen hitch a ride to #Earth on #asteroids? Or were the building blocks for #water always closer to home? We chat to Tom Barrett @oxuniearthsci.bsky.social about his amazing new discovery. 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/wha...
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
🎙️ New #podcast! How can #robots investigate underwater #volcanoes? 🌋🤔 We chat to Sofia Della Sala @oxuniearthsci.bsky.social about her recent #fieldwork #expedition to #Santorini 🛳️ 🎧: www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/how... @sofiadellasala.bsky.social @ukri.org @ox.ac.uk
A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is suspended from the side of a research ship on a sunny day in the Aegean Sea, just off the coast of Santorini.
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
We're very proud to be working with @ovg.ox.ac.uk to create a brand new video documenting the #malaria challenge trial this summer. If you are eligible, please do consider taking part in their invaluable research 👇
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
🎥 Dr Daniela Nasteska from @rdm.ox.ac.uk introduces us to the colourful world of #diabetes #research in our brand new video. Watch it here: bit.ly/diabetes_puz... 🧩 @medsci.ox.ac.uk @wolfsonoxford.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @dn-mk.bsky.social @daveyboyhod.bsky.social #OxfordScience #Type2diabetes
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Diabetes research: a world of colourful puzzles
_"The whole thing feels a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle where we have to find the pieces first..."_ Type 2 diabetes is one of the oldest known ailments. In fact, the Indian healer Sushruta described it in the 5th century BC as ‘madhumeha’, or honey-like urine, when he noticed that urine from sick people attracted ants. Fortunately, medicine has progressed a long way since this time, and Type 2 diabetes is now a condition that can be lived with. So, what actually causes the disease, and how can we treat it? Dr Daniela Nasteska from Oxford's Radcliffe Department of Medicine introduces us to the colourful world of diabetes research. With thanks to Diabetes UK for funding this research.
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to explore the exciting #science taking place @ox.ac.uk 👇 bit.ly/OxfordSparks... #OxfordScience #OxfordUniversity #DocumentaryFilms
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Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences @oxprimarycare.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
🔬 New research shows that anaemia in early pregnancy may raise the risk of congenital heart disease in babies 👶🫀. The study found a 47% higher risk when anaemia was present in the first 100 days of pregnancy. Researchers are now looking into whether iron supplements could help prevent this.
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Child heart disease may be more likely if mother has anaemia during pregnancy
New research shows the chance of a child having congenital heart disease increases if the mother is anaemic during pregnancy.
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Oxford Sparks @oxfordsparks.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Good morning, Bluesky! 🦋 We are very happy to be here, sharing stories of the cutting-edge #scientific #research taking place @ox.ac.uk and shining a spotlight on the incredible #scientists behind it 👩‍🔬 Head to oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk to watch our award-winning films & listen to our inhouse #podcast
A banner showing a number of laurels from international film festivals. Text reads 'Award Winning Documentaries' on a pink, yellow and blue background.
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