The Oxford Scientist

The Oxford Scientist is the University of Oxford’s independent, student-produced science magazine.

Compound Tool Construction by New Caledonian Crows

Feature Image Credit Ken Bohn / San Diego Zoo Global New Scientist by Laura Steel Humans are constantly creating novel compound tools from otherwise non-functional elements.  From large scale technologies such as cars, to simply tying two non-functional bits of string together to make a useful longer piece. This skill comes so easily to us…

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Novel DNA Modifications—an in2science blog

by Judahne Medley in2science UK is an award-winning charity which matches school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to research placements, giving them the opportunity to pursue their interests in STEM subjects. This summer, The Oxford Scientist, was pleased to provide free copies of the magazine to students who came to the University of Oxford. Two of these students –…

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Neuroscience is a Piece of (Brain) Cake!—an in2science blog

by Emily Kyle in2science UK is an award-winning charity which matches school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to research placements, giving them the opportunity to pursue their interests in STEM subjects. This summer, The Oxford Scientist, was pleased to provide free copies of the magazine to students who came to the University of Oxford. Two of these students –…

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Soapbox Science—Promoting Women in STEM

by Jacqueline Gill   Soapbox Science is a novel public outreach platform for promoting female scientists, and the science they do. The general format of a Soapbox Science event follows that of Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park, London, which has been an area for open-air public speaking since the mid-1800s. Traditionally, the speaker stands on…

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But what about Methane?

Feature Image Credit Tom Toles at the Washington Post by Louis Claxton Originally published on ‘the Oxford Student’ website.   Since the target to limit global temperature rise to 2°C was set in the 2015 Paris Climate agreement, those in politics have focused their attention on the notorious and vilified CO2. But what about Methane?…

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A small solution to a big problem? The launch of Ocean Cleanup

by Louis Claxton   Over the past few years ocean plastic pollution has made its way into mainstream media and has even earnt the attention of politicians1. Thanks in part to Blue Planet II, the British public was made aware of just how large a problem plastic pollution is for the world’s aquatic life. Now,…

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The Contingency of Brain Health on Exercise

Using the power of choice and flexibility of neural connections to achieve well-being, lesson from Dr. Korb By Irene Trung   The tuning of neural circuits depends on the genetics of the individual, childhood, and current experiences.  Although we cannot select our genes and may have little control over our early experiences, we still have…

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iGEM: Using synthetic biology to cure autoimmune diseases

iGEM is an international competition where teams of university students compete in designing a genetically engineered product to tackle a world problem. Oxford’s iGEM team for 2018 is made up of 10 undergraduate students who study a range of subjects including biochemistry, biology, chemistry, engineering and medicine. After a long process of designing and planning…

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Oxygen: a Load of Pure Phlogiston?

By Alexander James, Sir John Deane’s College, Cheshire Oxygen is vital to life and is used in numerous industrial processes. However, there was a time when the existence of oxygen as a concept, let alone as an element, was completely unknown. One of the early scientific theories of combustion was called the Phlogiston Theory, developed…

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