The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions
Why did beards evolve and what is the point of them? Evolution may have decided they make a man more
From its early days as work-wear for gold-miners and cowboys in the US, denim has transcended its o
The Y chromosome. What makes a boy a boy? In this programme we put the Y chromosome under the micros
Television is beamed into our homes through a proliferation of channels and devices. TV has become a
Stamps, coins, sea shells, wine - the list of things that humans collect is endless. But why do peop
Why do we use jargon - the deliberate obfuscation of language? Or in other words, saying things in a
In stories, cartoons, advertisements and our everyday lives, we project human thoughts and emotions
From clowns to tight-rope walkers, fire-eaters to elephant trainers, the modern circus has been arou
Freud thought daydreaming was not a useful activity, and many teachers across the world have been he
The desire to live is strong in us humans. But it’s not always enough. Sometimes people fall so lo
At the mercy of people smugglers, they are transported by night, walking overland and travelling by
More than four billion people live in countries which retain the death penalty. Mike Williams asks w
We look inside the brain to find out why we lose our memories, and why there are some things we can
Why do people all over the world enjoy stories about criminals and the people who bring them to just
In every city in the world there is a viewing platform where you can gaze down upon the place from o
Why do the rich want to get richer? Why when you’ve got a million or even a billion do you want more
Why do some people refuse to be rich? The lottery winner who gave it all away, the vegetable stall h
We’re rarely far away from a device telling us the time, yet sales of luxury watches have never been
A recent study has shown that sad music has become increasingly popular, but why do people choose to
Mike Williams asks why do we fly flags? They have many uses, from identifying symbols to signalling
