The Why Factor Podcast
The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions
Episodes to download
-
Millennials and business
Mon 3 Feb 2020
Why are millennials so attracted to starting their own businesses?
-
Why do we text instead of talk?
Mon 27 Jan 2020
The popularity of texting is changing how we communicate and relate to each other
-
Why do physical scars matter?
Mon 20 Jan 2020
What do the marks on our skin tell us about ourselves and our place in the world?
-
-
-
-
-
Why does music affect the way we feel?
Mon 2 Dec 2019
An exploration of why and how music can exert a powerful effect on our emotions
-
Why do we need to talk about men?
Mon 25 Nov 2019
Michael Blastland investigates talk of a crisis in masculinity.
-
Why grandparents are important
Mon 18 Nov 2019
Why do grandparents care for their grandchildren and what effect does it have on them?
-
Why do we cheat on our partners?
Mon 11 Nov 2019
Could the answer lie in our DNA, our upbringing or our lack of self control?
-
-
Why are we conscious of so little?
Mon 28 Oct 2019
Why are humans conscious of so little of what goes on around us?
-
-
Intuition: Why should we be cautious of it?
Mon 14 Oct 2019
Why do we get so attached to our intuitions? And can they mislead us?
-
Intuition: Why should we trust it?
Mon 7 Oct 2019
What exactly is intuition? And why should we trust it?
-
Why do we love camping?
Mon 30 Sep 2019
Why do people ditch the comforts of modern life to go and sleep under the stars?
-
Why do some people reject society?
Mon 23 Sep 2019
Why do some people reject traditional forms of education, housing and even government?
-
Why are we so gloomy about the world?
Mon 16 Sep 2019
Sandra Kanthal asks if human nature is wired to fixate on the downsides of life.
-
Why do we (still) wear make-up?
Mon 26 Aug 2019
What’s the power of make-up? Why can't many of us leave the house without it?
-
Why learn to be happy?
Mon 19 Aug 2019
Happiness is a fundamental human desire, yet we often struggle to achieve it.
-
Why do funerals matter?
Mon 12 Aug 2019
Why funerals matter so profoundly to us, as individuals and societies
-
-
Why does nature calm anxiety?
Mon 29 Jul 2019
We find out how the natural world affects our mental health
-
Why do we care so much about games?
Mon 22 Jul 2019
Why do so many people care so much about their sports teams?
-
Why do some people become hermits?
Mon 15 Jul 2019
What makes people choose a life of isolation and silence?
-
-
-
Why aren’t more women in computer science?
Mon 24 Jun 2019
Computing history is filled with the accomplishments of women. But where are they now?
-
Why do we care where we come from?
Mon 17 Jun 2019
The need to discover our past and what this tells us about ourselves
Get the podcast
Subscribe or download individual episodes for free
Why do we look the way we do?
Tattoos, trainers, jeans, hair, ties ... why?