The Why Factor

The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions

World Service,408 episodes

Episodes

ListGrid

Why scarcity can damage decision making
How when we suffer a scarcity of mental resources, we fail to plan for our futures
05 Nov 2018,23 mins
Plane, Train and Bird Spotting
Why do people love plane, train and bird spotting?
29 Oct 2018,23 mins
Why Have Women Taken To Wellness?
Nastaran Tavakoli-Far asks why women seek alternative ways to improve their health.
22 Oct 2018,23 mins
Why do we keep open secrets?
Nastaran Tavakoli-Far on open secrets in religious organisations, businesses and families
15 Oct 2018,23 mins
Rhetoric
What can the social media generation learn from the ancient art of persuasion?
08 Oct 2018,23 mins
Compassion Fatigue
Why do we get overwhelmed by caring about other people?
01 Oct 2018,23 mins
Why has feminism affected the mother-son bond?
Feminist mothers share the complexities of bringing up a son and the conflicts that arise
24 Sep 2018,23 mins
Why the father-son relationship is important
A father can continue to influence a son long after they have stopped living together
17 Sep 2018,23 mins
Why do we forget the things we’ve learned?
Why is it we remember some facts easily, and others slip away?
10 Sep 2018,23 mins
Why do we feel heartbreak?
We take a look at heartbreak and discuss why we suffer pain when a relationship ends.
03 Sep 2018,23 mins
Antarctica
Why are we fascinated with Antarctica?
27 Aug 2018,23 mins
Why boredom is interesting
Why boredom can be quite interesting
20 Aug 2018,23 mins
Being at Sea
Sailor Lesley Curwen asks why we are drawn to go to sea
13 Aug 2018,23 mins
Why Do We Love Boats?
How our love affair with the boat can be a deep and passionate attachment
06 Aug 2018,23 mins
Female friendships
Why is new tech a mixed blessing for female friendships?
30 Jul 2018,23 mins
Male friendships
Why do men crave friendships with other men?
23 Jul 2018,23 mins
School Reunions
Caz Graham finds out why people go to their school reunion.
16 Jul 2018,23 mins
Us and Them
Why do we divide the world into us and them?
09 Jul 2018,23 mins
Status
How would you define your status in society? And why do some suffer status anxiety?
02 Jul 2018,23 mins
Fishing
Why do people want to fish when it is increasingly difficult?
25 Jun 2018,23 mins
Why Football is the World’s Game
Why has football becomes the world’s favourite team sport?
18 Jun 2018,23 mins
Why Do We Love Landscapes?
Why do so many people love landscapes like the English Lake District?
11 Jun 2018,23 mins
Self-Help
Why do we believe complete strangers can guide us in improving every aspect of our lives
04 Jun 2018,23 mins
Dogs
Why do we have such a close and complex relationship with dogs?
28 May 2018,23 mins
Immortality
Why do people chase immortality? We those who believe science is close to beating death
21 May 2018,23 mins
Self-Marriage
Why do people marry themselves, is it narcissism, or a bold step to finding happiness?
14 May 2018,23 mins
Romance Fraud
Why do people fall victims to online romance frauds
07 May 2018,23 mins
Giving Away Data
Why are we giving away our data so freely?
30 Apr 2018,23 mins
Carrying Guns
In the US, those least likely to be victims of gun violence are most likely to carry guns
23 Apr 2018,23 mins
Fantasies
Why do people create and inhabit fantasy worlds?
16 Apr 2018,23 mins