University of Oxford
LightNews LightNews
banner
ox.ac.uk
University of Oxford
@ox.ac.uk
22K followers 250 following 680 posts
Welcome to our official account 👋 Follow for the latest news, research and updates about life at Oxford.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
ox.ac.uk
University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · Oct 9
NEW: We’re honoured to be ranked number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the tenth consecutive year. 👏
Aerial view of the University of Oxford, showcasing its historic buildings and spires under a clear sky at sunset. Text overlay states "Oxford named best university in the world for a record tenth consecutive year".
ox.ac.uk
Just for a bit of fun, what's the title of your Oxford lecture? 🤔
A graphic with the text “What’s the title of your Oxford University lecture?” followed by a prompt: “How [your favourite singer] shaped the rise of [the last thing you ate] in [where you live]”. An example reads: “How Taylor Swift shaped the rise of apples in Oxford”. The graphic encourages viewers to comment below and is decorated with snowflake icons on a blue background.
December 25, 2025 at 5:07 PM
ox.ac.uk
Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating 🎄✨

#MerryChristmas
Winter view of Oxford’s skyline across a frosty field, with spires and domes under a grey sky. Text reads: “Merry Christmas from the University of Oxford.”
December 25, 2025 at 9:49 AM
ox.ac.uk
Festive lights at Christ Church ✨

📷 Instagram | DrTSuleymanov
A wide view of the Christ Church staircase decorated with warm festive lights, with Christmas trees glowing at the top of the steps and the vaulted stone ceiling above. A close-up of the staircase balustrade at Christ Church covered in fairy lights, with a lit Christmas tree and an ornate lantern beside the arched doorway. A view looking up toward the fan-vaulted ceiling at Christ Church, with festive lights along the balcony and a glowing illuminated Christ Church crest decoration.
December 24, 2025 at 7:22 PM
ox.ac.uk
Christmas Eve at the @bodleian.ox.ac.uk, featuring star trails and constellations ✨🎄

📷 Instagram | Shubham Vilas Kulkarni (Ox_Stars) [Photos taken December, 2024]
A long-exposure night photograph of the Bodleian Library’s Old Schools Quadrangle at Oxford. Bright star trails sweep across the sky above the gothic architecture. A glowing Christmas tree sits in the middle of the empty quad, reflecting light onto the stone ground. A long-exposure night photograph of the Bodleian Library’s Old Schools Quadrangle at Oxford. Star trails arc across the sky, with constellations labelled Andromeda, Pegasus, Lacerta, and Cygnus. A lit Christmas tree stands in the centre of the quad, surrounded by the illuminated historic stone buildings.
December 24, 2025 at 6:53 PM
ox.ac.uk
Discover how Oxford researchers are working in the planet’s cryosphere to investigate glacial melting and sea level rises, and uncovering how microplastics are ending up in the Antarctic. ⬇️

https://www.ox.ac.uk/climate-and-environment/our-planet#group-section-Cryosphere-lIfZrkWaz5
A graphic with the word "CRYOSPHERE" overlaid on an aerial view of icy landscapes with fragmented ice sheets.
December 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
ox.ac.uk
'The impact would be truly huge on fundamental physics – and on our understanding of the universe.'

A mysterious anomaly challenges the most widely accepted vision of how the universe works.

Find out more with @oxfordphysics.bsky.social's Prof Subir Sarkar ⬇️
The universe may be lopsided – new research
A mysterious anomaly challenges the most widely accepted vision of how the universe works.
theconversation.com
December 23, 2025 at 1:08 PM
ox.ac.uk
Air travel accounts for ~2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, with aviation responsible for 4% of global warming to date.

Learn more about the strategies experts at Oxford are developing, from sustainable aviation fuel to revolutionising green hydrogen. ⬇️

https://bit.ly/4ayamlz
Graphic banner featuring abstract blue shapes and the text "SUSTAINABLE AVIATION."
December 22, 2025 at 3:46 PM
ox.ac.uk
Happy #WinterSolstice ❄️

Today marks the official start of winter in the astronomical calendar.

📷 Instagram | Juncao_Oxford
The Radcliffe Camera framed by trees with leaves and a light dusting of snow on the ground. The Clarendon Building with a symmetrical pathway leading to its entrance, surrounded by bare trees and light snow. An aerial view of Oxford’s historic city centre, with rooftops, streets and college buildings lightly covered in snow. An Oxford college gate with a clock above it, framed by snow-covered trees and falling snow.
December 21, 2025 at 9:39 AM
ox.ac.uk
Christmas at the @bodleian.ox.ac.uk🎄

📷 Instagram | Madam_Scientist
Night-time view of the Bodleian Library’s Old Schools Quadrangle in Oxford. A small Christmas tree wrapped in warm white lights stands in the centre of the stone courtyard, framed by the illuminated historic building and a dark sky above.
December 19, 2025 at 7:05 PM
ox.ac.uk
Dr Dan Challender, from the @biology.ox.ac.uk and @oxmartinschool.bsky.social, argues that CITES CoP20 demonstrates we need to reform how decisions on international trade controls for wild species are made if they are to be protected from overexploitation ⬇️
Expert Comment: How can we effectively regulate international trade
Dr Dan Challender, a conservation scientist at the Department of Biology and Oxford Martin School, argues that CITES CoP20 demonstrates we need to reform how decisions on international trade controls
www.ox.ac.uk
December 19, 2025 at 2:05 PM
ox.ac.uk
Philip Stier, Professor of Atmospheric Physics @oxfordphysics.bsky.social and Director of @intelligentearth.bsky.social, discusses his career and how following the science is the best way forward for a net zero future. ⬇️

https://www.ox.ac.uk/climate-and-environment/philip-stier
Professor Philip Stier
December 18, 2025 at 2:50 PM
ox.ac.uk
Twin births have risen sharply since the 1980s 📈

Here’s how the share of twin births has changed over time.

Find out more with @ourworldindata.org ⬇️ #TwinsDay
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/rate-of-twin-deliveries
The chart titled "Share of births that are twins" displays the percentage of twin births over time, spanning from 1858 to 2021. The vertical axis represents the share of births that are twins, ranging from 0% to 2%. There are five colored lines, each representing a different country: the United States, France, Canada, Australia, and England and Wales. Throughout the years, the percentage of twin births shows a noticeable increase in each of the countries shown, particularly from the 1980s. A note on the chart indicates that delayed childbearing, alongside technologies such as IVF, has contributed to this rise in twin births. The data for this chart is sourced from the Human Multiple Births Database in 2024. The chart is credited under a Creative Commons BY license, and is published by Our World in Data.
December 18, 2025 at 10:12 AM
ox.ac.uk
Yesterday's sunset 🌅

📷 Instagram | 12AtOxford
The Radcliffe Camera and surrounding Bodleian buildings in Oxford at sunset, with a pink and orange winter sky glowing above the historic stone architecture.
December 17, 2025 at 7:39 PM
ox.ac.uk
NEW: The world’s largest clinical trial for dengue treatments has launched, as the mosquito-borne disease continues to spread globally.

Dengue is a major and growing health problem. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s population lives in dengue endemic areas.

More info ⬇️
International collaboration launches largest-ever therapeutics trial
A landmark international research collaboration has launched the largest clinical trial ever conducted to test therapeutics for moderate-severe dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease that continues
www.ox.ac.uk
December 17, 2025 at 2:54 PM
ox.ac.uk
NEW: Oxford researchers have developed TrustedMDT, a multi-agent artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to support medical specialists during cancer treatment planning meetings.

Find out more ⬇️
Oxford-built multi-agent assistant for cancer care to be piloted in
Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed TrustedMDT, a multi-agent artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to support medical specialists during cancer treatment planning meetings.
www.ox.ac.uk
December 17, 2025 at 11:54 AM
ox.ac.uk
Nick Eyre, Emeritus Professor of Energy and Climate Policy at @ecioxford.bsky.social, discusses his career and how public policy can help shape the transition to a post-carbon society in a just and equitable way. ⬇️

https://www.ox.ac.uk/climate-and-environment/nick-eyre
Professor Nick Eyre
December 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
ox.ac.uk
Dr Tonya Lander, from Christ Church and @oxmartinschool.bsky.social, explains the diverse factors that impact the price of chocolate, and what measures could help improve the long-term resilience and stability of this global market that supports millions of livelihoods ⬇️
Expert Comment: Why has the price of chocolate become so volatile? |
Dr Tonya Lander, Stipendiary Lecturer at Christ Church and researcher at the Oxford Martin School Programme on the Future of Food, explains the diverse factors that impact the price of chocolate, and
www.ox.ac.uk
December 16, 2025 at 3:12 PM
ox.ac.uk
Where on earth is the best laboratory to demonstrate the beauty of fluid dynamics?

Actually, it’s not on Earth. Here is the story of the soft cell.

Read more ⬇️
https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/node/74308

@oxfordmathematics.bsky.social | Axiom Space | NASA
December 15, 2025 at 5:54 PM
ox.ac.uk
😷 What is 'super flu'?
🗞️ Is flu in the UK really as bad as the headlines make it sound?
🗺️ Which parts of the UK are being hit hardest?
📊 Why does the vaccine work differently across age groups?

James Hay breaks down what you need to know about this season’s flu, and how to protect yourself ⬇️
What is super flu? And other questions answered
What’s really happening with this year’s flu season – and should you still get the vaccine?
theconversation.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:50 PM
ox.ac.uk
Alongside rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, CO₂ will need to be removed from the atmosphere to meet climate goals.

Discover how research at Oxford is investigating how we can capture and store carbon, and remove harmful greenhouse gases from our atmosphere. ⬇️

https://bit.ly/3KBRAze
December 15, 2025 at 2:45 PM
ox.ac.uk
Wishing a happy Hanukkah to all those celebrating — at this time we hold close the light of community and peace.

#Hanukkah
December 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM
ox.ac.uk
Christmas trees around Oxford 🎄

📷 Instagram | Lucies_Oxford_Camera, Dr Laura Varnam, Spiralling_Oxford & Lady Margaret Hall
A large, illuminated Christmas tree stands in a courtyard at night in front of the historic architecture of Magdalen College, Oxford, with a clear sky and a bright star visible above. Illuminated Christmas tree at night in the courtyard of Univ with stained glass windows. A beautifully illuminated Christmas tree stands near the Radcliffe Observatory, next to a statue in a fountain, set against the evening sky. A Christmas tree illuminated with blue lights stands in front Lady Margaret Hall at night.
December 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
ox.ac.uk
Feline festive 😻

The cats of @sthughscollege.bsky.social just wrapped up their Christmas photoshoot 📷

In the first image, you’ll see Professor Biscuit on the left and Admiral Flapjack on the right. Both are 7.5 years old.

📷 Instagram | Hughsiecats
Two cats in festive attire sitting on a fur blanket in front of a green wall with a "Merry Christmas" decoration above them. One cat [Professor Biscuit], wears a red sweater and the other [Admiral Flapjack] wears a red and white striped scarf, with a small Christmas tree and a Santa figurine beside them. Prof Biscuit dressed in a red sweater and Santa hat, surrounded by small Christmas trees and festive decorations. A tabby cat [Flapjack] wearing a red and white striped scarf with a large red pompom, sitting on a textured floor and looking directly at the camera. Prof Biscuit and Admiral Flapjack posing.
December 12, 2025 at 1:21 PM
ox.ac.uk
'This whole-body sensitivity is what will distinguish the next generation of soft robots from today’s rigid machines.'

To learn in the way humans do, robots need bodies that feel, argues @oxengsci.bsky.social's Prof Perla Maiolino ⬇️
The science of human touch – and why it’s so hard to replicate in robots
To learn in the way humans do, robots need bodies that feel.
theconversation.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:51 AM
ox.ac.uk
THEN vs NOW: The Clarendon Building

📷 | Oxfordshire History Centre

#ThrowbackThursday
A split image comparing the Clarendon Building in Oxford in 1962 and 2025. The top half shows a black-and-white photo of the building with darker stonework and fewer people in view. The bottom half shows a colour photo of the same building in 2025, with lighter restored stone, clearer architectural details, and people walking in front of it.
December 11, 2025 at 5:07 PM