Oxford Sparks Big Questions

This week we are featuring a special bonus episode from our friends at the Milk on the Move podcast. Milk on the Move explores milk's deep cultural roots, evolving scientific narratives and the systems that shape its production today. Hosts Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp and JC Niala uncover the fascinating interaction of tradition, knowledge and morality that makes milk so much more than just an everyday drink. Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify or head to milkingit.org for more information.

If you've had the chance to visit Oxford's History of Science Museum, you may have found yourself gazing upon a rather special blackboard. Featuring equations that connect the age, size and density of the Universe, the penmanship is that of Albert Einstein himself, who used the blackboard during a lecture on 16th May 1931. But what was Einstein doing in Oxford, and how did he spend his time there? We chat to Dr JC Niala, Head of Research, Teaching and Collections at the History of Science Museum, to find out more about the man (and musician!) behind the genius. 
Dr JC Niala also hosts her own brilliant podcast, alongside Dr Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, called 'Milk on the Move'. You can listen to an episode ('Purity and Danger') right here on our playlist, or find out more at milkingit.org.

For this year's Valentine's Day episode, we are getting up close and personal with those most beloved of birds - penguins. Giving us an insight into the love lives of our feathered friends are penguinologists (yes, that's a real word) Dr Ignacio Juarez Martinez and Dr Fiona Suttle, who have both graduated from Oxford's Department of Biology, and spent multiple field seasons in Antarctica monitoring penguin breeding behaviour. We hear how penguin breeding patterns appear to be shifting with changing temperatures, and how you can get involved in their research - just head to Penguin Watch to take part.

How much more money could you earn - doing the exact same role - if you're in possession of some solid AI skills? That's one of the core questions that Dr Fabian Stephany, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, hopes to answer. Leading the 'SkillScale' project, Fabian looks into the impact of AI tools on the labour market, with the ultimate hope of advising workers on the best ways to secure jobs and increase their salaries. So, far from a discussion about 'AI stealing our jobs', we ask Fabian - how can we use AI to secure a bigger pay packet? 
Find out more:
Skills or Degree? The Rise of Skill-Based Hiring for AI and Green Jobs
AI Skills Improve Job Prospects: Causal Evidence from a Hiring Experiment

Are we alone in the Universe? It's surely one of the biggest questions out there. In our first episode of 2026 we chat to Dr Carly Howett, Associate Professor of Space Instrumentation in Oxford's Department of Physics. Specialising in the study of the 'icy worlds' found in our outer Solar System, Carly explains why she thinks one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus, could be a prime candidate for life, and shares the latest updates on how we might find it.