The Why Factor

Latest Episodes:

The Evolution of Beards Jun 10, 2015

Show notes

Why did beards evolve and what is the point of them? Evolution may have decided they make a man more manly and can attract the opposite sex but many women are divided in their opinion of the beard. In some religions and cultures a beard is sacrosanct whilst some societies remain hair free.

Should you shave them, trim them or grow them to extraordinary length. Mike Williams visits the world’s oldest barber shop to find out the secrets of a close shave and a tidy beard.

(Photo: Men participate in a bearded Competition. Credit: Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Blue Jeans May 29, 2015

Show notes

From its early days as work-wear for gold-miners and cowboys in the US, denim has transcended its origins, becoming a global fashion item. Mike Williams explores the appeal of a pair of blue jeans and the history of this simple garment. Once a symbol of youth rebellion, it is now common around the world - worn by men and women, old and young. From cowboys to the catwalk, how did denim come to dominate?

(Photo: Blue jeans hanging in a clothing store. Credit: Shutterstock)

The Y Chromosome May 22, 2015

Show notes

The Y chromosome. What makes a boy a boy? In this programme we put the Y chromosome under the microscope. We find out how it transforms a female embryo into a male one. We discover what it can tell us about the differences between men and women. We speak to a teenage boy who has not just one Y chromosome but two. And we meet the scientist who turned a female mouse male.

(Photo: X and Y chromosome on a black background. Credit: Shutterstock)

Television May 15, 2015

Show notes

Television is beamed into our homes through a proliferation of channels and devices. TV has become an integral part of our lives, all over the world, in just a few short decades. Why has TV taken a grip on us which has never weakened? It influences our politics, our cultural attitudes and social perceptions. Does it mainly distract or engage us?

Presenter Mike Williams finds out about TV’s humble origins with the grandson of TV inventor John Logie Baird, and runs through some of television’s most viewed moments. We feature one of the biggest reality TV stars in the Middle East, winner of Arab Idol 2013 singing contest, Mohammed Assaf, who shares his thoughts on the medium. TV, once tightly controlled, has escaped into the world and continues to change our societies in unimaginable ways.

(Photo: A wall of 750 television screens at an exhibition celebrating 50 years of television broadcasting, in Melbourne, Australia. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Collecting May 08, 2015

Show notes

Stamps, coins, sea shells, wine - the list of things that humans collect is endless. But why do people do it? What does a collection of inanimate objects bring to our lives that other things do not? Are people attracted by the thrill of the chase, the pleasure of possession or the control in acting as the custodian of precious things?

Mike Williams talks to an eclectic group of collectors in search of some answers. Roman and Maz Piekarski have spent the last 50 years building up a collection of some of the world’s finest cuckoo clocks. When Lisa Courtney was bullied as a child she gained comfort in building her collection of Pokemon toys.Seventeen-year-old Tushar Lakhanpal started his pencil collection at the age of three and when David Fulton sold his business to Microsoft in the 90s his new found wealth allowed him to pursue and acquire one of the finest collections of rare instruments ever assembled.

(Photo: Roman and Maz Piekarski have been collecting cuckoo clocks for the last 40 years. BBC copyright)

Jargon May 01, 2015

Show notes

Why do we use jargon - the deliberate obfuscation of language? Or in other words, saying things in a way that makes it difficult to understand. George Orwell, in the early 20th Century, hated this ‘inflated style’ of writing and there have been many attempts to get rid of it. In the 1940s Sir Ernest Gowers from the British Civil Service wrote a book - Plain Words - which has been reprinted again and again, most recently by his great grand-daughter who tells presenter Mike Williams why jargon is just as bad today as it ever was. It has been blamed for pulling the wool over the eyes of the general public and it’s the same all over the world.

(Photo: The classic work Plain Words, originally written and published by Sir Ernest Gowers who wanted to see the English language free of jargon. BBC copyright)

Animals Are Us? Apr 24, 2015

Show notes

In stories, cartoons, advertisements and our everyday lives, we project human thoughts and emotions onto animals—and claim their strength and style for ourselves in the brand names of cars and cosmetics. Why do we do that, and what do we get out of it? Can we ever know what animals really feel? And are we as different from other species as we like to imagine?

Maria Margaronis meets the furry fandom, who put on 'fursonas' and cartoon-like animal costumes to meet and socialise. Neuroscientist Bella Williams up-ends some assumptions about animal brains and explains how to read a mouse’s facial expression. Children’s author Michael Rosen sportcasts an insect race. Farmer Helen Reeve reflects on how she feels about eating her own cows. And, historian Harriet Ritvo poses a thornier question - what makes our species think we are secure in our dominance over the natural world?

Produced by Sue Davies

(Photo: The furry fandom and their fursuits at a gathering of animals in a pub in the east of England. Credit to: Harlequeen)

The Circus Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

From clowns to tight-rope walkers, fire-eaters to elephant trainers, the modern circus has been around for centuries. Mike Williams explores its origins and asks why it appeals to adults and children around the world. As part of the programme, Mike learns how to do the flying trapeze, takes tips from an acrobat at the Moscow State Circus and hears from a clown from Cirque Du Soleil – who has a rather alarming story about audience participation. Mike also talks to a lion trainer with the biggest animal act in the world and finds out what happened when he accidentally fell on one of his big cats.

Produced by Sally Abrahams

(Photo: Martin Lacey jr. performs at The Circus Krone Show in Munich, Germany. Credit: Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images)

Daydreaming Apr 10, 2015

Show notes

Freud thought daydreaming was not a useful activity, and many teachers across the world have been heard to say “stop daydreaming” to their pupils. But it seems to have redeeming purposes.

Opera singer Noah Stewart explains how he uses daydreaming as a way to prepare himself for the stage. And Peter Moore, an IT contractor who was held hostage in Iraq, describes how his mind began to fill the emptiness of his days with dreams of escape and comfort.

While daydreaming may be universal across cultures, there seem to be many differences in in how we do it - from playful vivid fantasies, to problem solving, to obsessing. And is daydreaming a taboo subject? We explore why it’s not discussed.

(Photo: A young girl lies on the grass daydreaming. Credit: George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images)

Suicide Apr 03, 2015

Show notes

The desire to live is strong in us humans. But it’s not always enough. Sometimes people fall so low that they can see only one way forward. And every year, across the world, around a million people take their own lives. Why?

The answers are as complex and numerous as the people themselves but, often, there are common features… and, by understanding these, it may be possible to help them.

Presenter: Mike Williams Producer: Ben Carter

If you’ve been affected by this programme and would like to get help please visit: www.samaritans.org or www.befrienders.org

(Photo: Steve Mallen whose 18 year-old son Edward took his own life in February 2015. BBC Copyright)