By: John Priest,
on 10/16/2016
This October, the OUP Philosophy team honors al-Kindī (c. 800-870) as their Philosopher of the Month. Known as the “first philosopher of the Arabs,” al-Kindī was one of the most important mathematicians, physicians, astronomers and philosophers of his time.
The post How much do you know about al‐Kindī? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Cassandra Gill,
on 9/22/2016
From student presentations, to lectures, to reading assignments, and so much more, teachers today have a wide variety of methods at their disposal to facilitate learning in the classroom. For elementary school children, group work has been shown to be one strategy that is particularly effective. The peer-to-peer intervention supports children in developing cognitively, emotionally, behaviorally, and socially. Group work encourages children to expand their perspectives on the world.
The post Group work with school-aged children [Infographic] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: John Priest,
on 8/13/2016
This August, the OUP Philosophy team honors René Descartes (1596–1650) as their Philosopher of the Month. Called “The Father of Modern Philosophy” by Hegel, Descartes led the seventeenth-century European intellectual revolution which laid down the philosophical foundations for the modern scientific age.
The post How much do you know about René Descartes? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Lauri Lu,
on 8/5/2016
On August 5, Rio de Janeiro will welcome the 2016 Summer Olympics, becoming the first South American city to ever host the Games. Before you attend that Olympics viewing party, why not brush up on your trivia game with our quiz below?
The post How much of an Olympics fan are you? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Lauri Lu,
on 8/5/2016
On August 5, Rio de Janeiro will welcome the 2016 Summer Olympics, becoming the first South American city to ever host the Games. Before you attend that Olympics viewing party, why not brush up on your trivia game with our quiz below?
The post How much of an Olympics fan are you? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Hannah Charters,
on 7/27/2016
On supermarket shelves, we are given a mind-numbing array of choices to select from. Shall we have some peppercorns on our macaroni, some cinnamon for baking, or a bit of rosemary with roast pork? Five hundred years ago, however, cooking with herbs and spices was a much simpler choice.
The post Around the world in spices and herbs appeared first on OUPblog.
By: John Priest,
on 7/21/2016
An astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, and active public figure, Hypatia played a leading role in Alexandrian civic affairs. Her public lectures were popular, and her technical contributions to geometry, astronomy, number theory, and philosophy made Hypatia a highly regarded teacher and scholar.
The post How much do you know about Hypatia? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: John Priest,
on 4/9/2016
A self-professed "comprehensive anticipatory design scientist," the inventor Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was undoubtedly a visionary. Fuller's creations often bordered on the realm of science fiction, ranging from the freestanding geodesic dome to the three-wheel Dymaxion car.
The post The life and work of Buckminster Fuller: a timeline appeared first on OUPblog.
By: John Priest,
on 3/26/2016
This January, the OUP Philosophy team has chosen David Hume as their Philosopher of the Month. Born in Edinburgh, Hume is considered a founding figure of empiricism and the most significant philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment. With its strong critique of contemporary metaphysics, Hume’s 'Treatise of Human Nature' (1739–40) cleared the way for a genuinely empirical account of human understanding.
The post How well do you know David Hume? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: JulieF,
on 3/15/2016
When people think of evolution, many reflect on the concept as an operation filled with endless random possibilities–a process that arrives at advantageous traits by chance. But is the course of evolution actually random? In A World from Dust: How the Periodic Table Shaped Life, Ben McFarland argues that an understanding of chemistry can both explain and predict the course of evolution.
The post How does chemistry shape evolution? appeared first on OUPblog.
By: John Priest,
on 3/14/2016
Every year, millions of people visit California in search of beaches, hiking, celebrity sightings, and more. In the map below, Peter J. Holliday shows us his version of California, focusing on the rich history of classically inspired art and architecture in Southern California. Enjoy the stories of grand landmarks such as Hearst Castle, Pasadena City […]
The post A guide to Southern California for classical art enthusiasts [interactive map] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Sarah McKenna,
on 1/14/2016
Oxford University Press is pleased to welcome the new Editor-in-Chief of Multimedia Manual of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (MMCTS), Roberto Lorusso. We got to know Dr. Lorusso during an interview and discovered how he came to specialise in cardio-thoracic surgery, how he sees this field in the future, and what he has in store for the Manual.
The post A Q&A with Roberto Lorusso appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Hannah Charters,
on 12/17/2015
The magic of fairy tales doesn’t just lie in their romantic landscapes and timeless themes of good against evil. The best fairy tales are always populated with compelling and memorable characters – like the rags-to-riches princess, the gallant prince on horseback set to save the day, or the jealous and lonely evil king or queen. Which famous fairy tale character do you think you’re most like?
The post Which fairy tale character are you? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: JulieF,
on 9/29/2015
Are you planning a trip to Brazil, Cambodia, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, or another destination that requires immunizations in advance of your arrival? Are you a health care worker, about to travel to a destination currently dealing with an epidemic or outbreak?
The post Preparing for world travel [infographic] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: JulieF,
on 9/12/2015
Our diets are a moral choice. We can decide what we want to eat, though more often than not we give little thought to our diet and instead rather habitually and instinctively eat foods that have been served to us since a young age.
The post Our diet and the environment [infographic] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Mohamed Sesay,
on 9/12/2015
In April this year, we questioned whether or not you could match the quote to the philosopher who said it. After demonstrating your impressive knowledge of philosophical quotations, we've come back to test your philosophy knowledge again. In this second installment of the quiz, we ask you if you can make the distinction between Aquinas, Hume, Sophocles, and Descartes?
The post Can you match the quote to the philosopher? Part two [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Barney Cox,
on 9/10/2015
In 1682, the French court moved from Paris to the former royal hunting lodge of Versailles, which had been transformed under the supervision of Louis XIV into Europe’s most splendid palace, one which moreover was set in a stunning park that stretched all the way to the horizon. Versailles established a fashion for palaces surrounded by ample gardens that most major European courts would soon imitate. These parks provided appropriate backdrops for elaborately spectacles staged to impress visiting diplomats hunts as well as secluded settings for flirting.
The post The garden palaces of Europe and Asia [interactive map] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: JulieF,
on 9/3/2015
Thailand is one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world, housing more than 350 different species of reptiles. Learning about these turtles, tortoises, lizards, crocodiles, and snakes is more important than ever in light of recent threats to their extinction due to wildlife trade and loss of habitat for agricultural use of their habitat.
The post The reptiles of Thailand [interactive map] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Miranda Dobson,
on 7/4/2015
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a children's story that has captivated the world since its publication in the 1860s. The book is celebrated each year on 4th July, which is also known as "Alice's Day", because this is the date that Charles Dodgson (known under the pen name of Lewis Carroll) took 10-year-old Alice Liddell and her sisters on a boating trip in Oxford, and told the story that later evolved into the book that is much-loved across the world.
The post Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland artifacts: [slideshow] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Patrick Girouard,
on 6/22/2015
By: Suzie Eves,
on 6/8/2015
“In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love” (Alfred, Lord Tennyson), but he could have said the same for insects too. Male insects will be following the scent of females, looking for a partner, but not every female is what she seems to be. It might look like the orchid is getting some unwanted attention in the video below, but it’s actually the bee that’s the victim. The orchid has released complex scents to fool the bee into thinking it’s meeting a female.
The post Sexual deception in orchids appeared first on OUPblog.
By: JulieF,
on 6/1/2015
Green fluorescent proteins, or GFPs for short, are visibly advancing research in biology and medicine. By using GFPs to illuminate proteins otherwise undetectable under the microscope, scientists have learned a great deal about processes that take place within our cells.
The post What can green fluorescent proteins teach us about diseases? appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Yasmin Coonjah,
on 5/30/2015
Happy Australian Library and Information Week! We’re wrapping up Library and Information Week here in Australia. This year’s theme is “Imagine.” Help us celebrate all of the fantastic libraries and librarians doing great things over on that side of the world. Oxford University Press has put together a quiz about all things Australia and New Zealand. Once you’ve made it through the quiz, reward yourself with a dollop of Vegemite or catch a Russell Crowe flick to get your fix of the good old outback.
The post How well do you know Australia? [quiz] appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Mohamed Sesay,
on 5/17/2015
This May, the OUP Philosophy team are honouring Kierkegaard as the inaugural ‘Philosopher of the Month’. Over the next year, in order to commemorate the countless philosophers who have shaped our world by exploring life's fundamental questions, the OUP Philosophy team will celebrate a different philosopher every month in their new Philosopher of the Month series. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and the father of existentialism.
The post Philosopher of the month: Søren Kierkegaard appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Kirsty,
on 4/7/2015
The last three decades have seen arguably the most fertile periods in the history of children’s literature, across the field. The phenomenon that is Harry Potter, the rise of YA, and books that tackle difficult subjects for younger readers are just a few examples of the material included in the new edition of The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature by Daniel Hahn.
The post Do you know your Potter from your Paddington? appeared first on OUPblog.
