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The Why Factor

A podcast by: BBC World Service

The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions

Our American listeners can also listen to The Why Factor at our American site

300 Episodes

Millennials and business
Published 2020-02-03

Why do we text instead of talk?
Published 2020-01-27
Why do physical scars matter?
Published 2020-01-20
Dystopias
Published 2020-01-13
Victim blaming
Published 2020-01-06
Parties
Published 2019-12-16
Resilience
Published 2019-12-09
Why does music affect the way we feel?
Published 2019-12-02
Why do we need to talk about men?
Published 2019-11-25
Why grandparents are important
Published 2019-11-18
Why do we cheat on our partners?
Published 2019-11-11
Why are we conscious?
Published 2019-11-04
Why are we conscious of so little?
Published 2019-10-28
Why are we shy?
Published 2019-10-21
Intuition: Why should we be cautious of it?
Published 2019-10-14
Intuition: Why should we trust it?
Published 2019-10-07
Why do we love camping?
Published 2019-09-30
Why do some people reject society?
Published 2019-09-23
Why are we so gloomy about the world?
Published 2019-09-16
Why do we (still) wear make-up?
Published 2019-08-26
Why learn to be happy?
Published 2019-08-19
Why do funerals matter?
Published 2019-08-12
Why do we blend?
Published 2019-08-05
Why does nature calm anxiety?
Published 2019-07-29
Why do we care so much about games?
Published 2019-07-22
Why do some people become hermits?
Published 2019-07-15
Why should we work together?
Published 2019-07-08
Schadenfreude
Published 2019-07-01
Why aren’t more women in computer science?
Published 2019-06-24
Why do we care where we come from?
Published 2019-06-17
Why do people risk death in pursuit of adventure?
Published 2019-06-10
Why is it so hard to get people to pay tax?
Published 2019-06-03
Confidence: How it can help us
Published 2019-05-27
Confidence: Why it misleads us
Published 2019-05-20
Why do we find it hard to cut our losses?
Published 2019-05-06
Emotional labour
Published 2019-04-29
Why is climate change so politicised?
Published 2019-04-22
Separating the art from the artist
Published 2019-04-15
Cinderella
Published 2019-04-08
Why do stories matter?
Published 2019-04-01
Mothers and daughters
Published 2019-03-25
Fathers and daughters
Published 2019-03-18
Fattism
Published 2019-03-11
Beauty pageants
Published 2019-03-04
Why is architecture so big on Instagram?
Published 2019-02-25
Meritocracy
Published 2019-02-18
Speed
Published 2019-02-11
Blame
Published 2019-02-04
Smart Speakers
Published 2019-01-28
Giving Presents
Published 2019-01-21
Fitness Apps
Published 2019-01-14
Extreme Sports
Published 2019-01-07
Zombies
Published 2018-12-31
Musical Instruments
Published 2018-12-24
Wine
Published 2018-12-17
Why do we Collude with Corruption?
Published 2018-12-10
Why Do Men Love Sheds?
Published 2018-12-03
Horses
Published 2018-11-26
Truth
Published 2018-11-19
Fact Checkers
Published 2018-11-12

The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions

300 Episodes

Millennials and business

Why do we text instead of talk?

Why do physical scars matter?

Dystopias

Victim blaming

Parties

Resilience

Why does music affect the way we feel?

Why do we need to talk about men?

Why grandparents are important

Why do we cheat on our partners?

Why are we conscious?

Why are we conscious of so little?

Why are we shy?

Intuition: Why should we be cautious of it?

Intuition: Why should we trust it?

Why do we love camping?

Why do some people reject society?

Why are we so gloomy about the world?

Why do we (still) wear make-up?

Why learn to be happy?

Why do funerals matter?

Why do we blend?

Why does nature calm anxiety?

Why do we care so much about games?

Why do some people become hermits?

Why should we work together?

Schadenfreude

Why aren’t more women in computer science?

Why do we care where we come from?

Why do people risk death in pursuit of adventure?

Why is it so hard to get people to pay tax?

Confidence: How it can help us

Confidence: Why it misleads us

Why do we find it hard to cut our losses?

Emotional labour

Why is climate change so politicised?

Separating the art from the artist

Cinderella

Why do stories matter?

Mothers and daughters

Fathers and daughters

Fattism

Beauty pageants

Why is architecture so big on Instagram?

Meritocracy

Speed

Blame

Smart Speakers

Giving Presents

Fitness Apps

Extreme Sports

Zombies

Musical Instruments

Wine

Why do we Collude with Corruption?

Why Do Men Love Sheds?

Horses

Truth

Fact Checkers