The Why Factor

Latest Episodes:

Fire Jul 12, 2013

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Why do we have such a fascination with fire? Our attempts to master fire have shaped who we have become – in some cases civilising us, but in other cases, corrupting us. What motivates arsonists to use fire as a weapon and what do the various myths about the origins of fire tell us about how we view its power?

(Image: A boy practising fire breathing on the roof of a building. Credit: Getty Images)

The City Jul 05, 2013

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These days we humans have become an urban-dwelling species. So how has the city changed us? What are the pros and cons of life in a modern metropolis? From the experience of a single individual we'll zoom out, to view neighbourhoods and communities and to the city as a whole - a place that we have shaped and which, in turn, shapes us.

(Image: Commuters drive past the city of Bangalore. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Bathing: Water, Health and Well-being Jun 21, 2013

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Why do we bathe?

The second of two programmes examining the rituals of bathing. Last week: spiritual purification and supernatural waters.

Do you enjoy a hot bath or is water too precious where you live to bathe in? This week is about cleansing the body and clearing the mind… water, health and well-being.

All of our programmes are available by clicking on the Free Downloads services.

(Image: A Japanese woman takes a bath in a natural hot spring, in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Credit: Getty Images)

Bathing: Supernatural Waters Jun 14, 2013

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Why can the seemingly everyday activity of bathing mean so many different things for millions of people around the world? For some, unwinding in a nice, hot, soothing bath is a just reward after a long day’s work. For others, it’s an imperative act of religious faith.

In the first of two programmes on bathing, Mike Williams asks: Why do we bathe for purification? He looks at the rituals and symbolism of bathing: to wash away our sins, cleanse our souls, to prepare ourselves for an encounter with the divine.

From ceremonies of purification of the Christian baptism to the Sacred River Ganges, from the ancient Roman Empire to the modern Middle East, he traces the history of ideas associated with healing, spiritualism, purification and re-birth through the act of bathing.

(Image: Hindu devotees bathe in the waters of the holy Ganges river believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth. Copyright: Getty Images)

The Sea Jun 07, 2013

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Why is that so many of us are drawn to the ocean... to the sound of tumbling waves and the sights and smells of the sea?

It captivated the likes of Melville, Shakespeare and Byron. Whether to view it from the shore, out on the waves, or under the surface, people flock to the ocean. Mike Williams explores literature and science to discover what it is about the sea that is so compelling. He speaks to Hanli Prinsloo, a free-diver, from Cape Town in South Africa.

(Image: Two men walk into the sea, under a sunny sky. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Make-up May 31, 2013

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It is an essential part of women’s days all around the world – putting on their face before they leave the house. This week Mike Williams explores why millions of women and some men paint their faces.

The programme delves back into history to look at why it was worn in the past and how this has shaped what we do today. He looks at the rise of the makeup industry and how it has struggled to overcome cultural and biological boundaries particularly when trying to sell to men.

He asks whether the sheer scale of the make-up industry is driven by marketing or if there are more, innate biological reasons for the practice – a desire to look attractive and powerful.

(Image: A man applying mascara to his eyelashes. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

The Ball May 24, 2013

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A ball is a simple, everyday object that holds such a deep appeal for us. We have been playing with them since the dawn of time on every continent. Mike Williams finds out why.

Some scientists argue that ball playing helped us become human, by developing the parts of the brain involved in speech, emotions and decision making. But why is ball playing fun? One explanation is that the unpredictability of never quite knowing where a ball will fall gives us the kinds of emotional highs and lows that would take unusually good fortune, or tragedy, to get otherwise.

(Image: a young boy holding a ball. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

The Lie May 17, 2013

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Many psychologists argue that learning to lie is an important stage for children. As early as two, children who are more developmentally advanced are much better liars. For some people, lying is something they can’t stop doing. We hear from someone whose life spiralled out of control due to her addiction to lying.

But is every lie bad? The concept of a ‘white lie’ is one we teach our children from an early age but different societies socialise their children to tell different sorts of lies. East Asian societies might be more aware of a ‘blue lie’ for example.

We explore how different cultures define telling the truth and what that shows us about our societies.

(Image: Woman holding her hand on the bible. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Disgust May 10, 2013

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Disgust is something that we all experience, but what purpose does it serve? And what role does it play in our moral judgements?

Mike Williams speaks to the ‘disgustologist’ Val Curtis about how revulsion protects us from disease and learns how disgust can be used – and abused - as a political weapon.

He tests the limits of his own disgust, finds out what it’s like to be the object of someone else’s disgust and explores the idea that there is “wisdom in repugnance” with philosopher Steve Clarke.

(Image of actor and comedian Frankie Howerd tasting his own cooking at home. Credit: Getty Images)

Pets May 03, 2013

Show notes

Why do we live with cats and dogs? Mike Williams meets cat and dog owners in Kenya and North Wales to find out what the real nature of the relationship with our furry friends is. Where did they come from? Why do we become so attached to non-humans? Can they love us back?

Mike talks to psychologist Sam Gosling who has studied whether there really are cat and dog people. And he questions whether the relationship is really all about fluffy cuteness – could there be a dark side to our keeping of pets? Human geographer Yi Fu Tuan thinks so.

Produced by Lucy Proctor.

(Image of an owner kissing her pet cat. Credit AFP/Getty Images)