The Why Factor Podcast
The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions
Episodes to download
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Sad Music
Fri 20 Sep 2013
Sad music has become more popular according to a recent study. Why do people listen to it?
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Fasting
Fri 13 Sep 2013
Why people choose to abstain from food for religious - and non-religious - reasons
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Memory
Fri 6 Sep 2013
How human memory works and why some memories are remembered more easily than others
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Female Body Hair
Fri 30 Aug 2013
The history of hair removal and what it tells us about notions of female beauty
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Monogamy
Fri 23 Aug 2013
Does true love have to be monogamous? We hear three very modern love stories.
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Violent Entertainment
Fri 2 Aug 2013
What explains our enduring attraction to violent entertainment?
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Fire
Fri 12 Jul 2013
Why are we fascinated with fire and what do myths tell us about how we view its power?
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The City
Fri 5 Jul 2013
Why do humans live in cities? And, what are the pros and cons of the modern metropolis?
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Bathing: Water, Health and Well-being
Fri 21 Jun 2013
The second of two programmes looking at why we bathe: the rituals and practices.
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Bathing: Supernatural Waters
Fri 14 Jun 2013
Why can the ubiquitous act of bathing mean so many different things for different people?
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Singing
Fri 19 Apr 2013
Singing is a way of bringing people together, expressing joy or sadness. Why do we sing?
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Silence
Fri 8 Mar 2013
What role does silence play in our lives and why can it be so poignant or so awkward?
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Cultural Memory
Fri 22 Feb 2013
We all have memories but do we share some of those, socially or collectively? If so, why?
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Why do we look the way we do?
Tattoos, trainers, jeans, hair, ties ... why?
