Why do we look down on laziness? Read more
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Laziness
Why do we look down on laziness?
Machines and Morals
Why we need to think about machines and morals
Sibling Birth Order
Why is the order in which we are born seen as a key to our character?
Restaurants
Why do people dream of opening a restaurant? Is the reality anything like the fantasy?
Fantasies
Why do people create and inhabit fantasy worlds?
Carrying Guns
In the US, those least likely to be victims of gun violence are most likely to carry guns
Giving Away Data
Why are we giving away our data so freely?
Romance Fraud
Why do people fall victims to online romance frauds
Self-Marriage
Why do people marry themselves, is it narcissism, or a bold step to finding happiness?
Immortality
Why do people chase immortality? We those who believe science is close to beating death
Dogs
Why do we have such a close and complex relationship with dogs?
Self-Help
Why do we believe complete strangers can guide us in improving every aspect of our lives
Why Do We Love Landscapes?
Why do so many people love landscapes like the English Lake District?
Why Football is the World’s Game
Why has football becomes the world’s favourite team sport?
Fishing
Why do people want to fish when it is increasingly difficult?
Status
How would you define your status in society? And why do some suffer status anxiety?
Us and Them
Why do we divide the world into us and them?
School Reunions
Caz Graham finds out why people go to their school reunion.
Male friendships
Why do men crave friendships with other men?
Female friendships
Why is new tech a mixed blessing for female friendships?
Why Do We Love Boats?
How our love affair with the boat can be a deep and passionate attachment
Being at Sea
Sailor Lesley Curwen asks why we are drawn to go to sea
Why boredom is interesting
Why boredom can be quite interesting
Antarctica
Why are we fascinated with Antarctica?
Why do we feel heartbreak?
We take a look at heartbreak and discuss why we suffer pain when a relationship ends.
Why do we forget the things we’ve learned?
Why is it we remember some facts easily, and others slip away?
Why the father-son relationship is important
A father can continue to influence a son long after they have stopped living together
Why has feminism affected the mother-son bond?
Feminist mothers share the complexities of bringing up a son and the conflicts that arise
Compassion Fatigue
Why do we get overwhelmed by caring about other people?
Rhetoric
What can the social media generation learn from the ancient art of persuasion?
Why do we keep open secrets?
Nastaran Tavakoli-Far on open secrets in religious organisations, businesses and families
Why Have Women Taken To Wellness?
Nastaran Tavakoli-Far asks why women seek alternative ways to improve their health.
Plane, Train and Bird Spotting
Why do people love plane, train and bird spotting?
Why scarcity can damage decision making
How when we suffer a scarcity of mental resources, we fail to plan for our futures
Fact Checkers
Why Fact Checkers are so important in the fight to combat fake news
Truth
Why is it so difficult to decide what is true in a world riddled with alternative facts?
Horses
Exploring the connection between horses and humans
Why Do Men Love Sheds?
We all need a place to call our own. Why, for many men, is that place the garden shed?
Why do we Collude with Corruption?
Why do we collude with corruption when it is unfair and costs us billions of dollars?
Wine
Why are we so fascinated with wine?
Musical Instruments
Why is there a hierarchy of musical instruments?
Zombies
Why are we so fascinated by Zombies?
Extreme Sports
Why are more people taking on extreme endurance challenges which test them to the limit?
Fitness Apps
What motivates some to record every aspect of their exercise regime and share it online?
Giving Presents
Giving a gift - simple pleasure or risky business?
Smart Speakers
How are smart speakers affecting us, from privacy to child development?
Blame
Why are we so quick to point the finger of blame?
Speed
Why do we like to go fast – why are we so taken with speed?
Meritocracy
Is meritocracy just a utopian idea?
Why is architecture so big on Instagram?
Is Instagram’s popularity changing how architects design buildings and public spaces?
Beauty pageants
Why do women still compete in beauty pageants?
Fattism
Why is it OK to be anti fat?
Fathers and daughters
Why the father-daughter relationship is so important
Mothers and daughters
A look at why living in a patriarchy affects the mother-daughter relationship
Why do stories matter?
How stories help us connect, teach us empathy, and set the rules of society
Cinderella
Why is Cinderella such a universal story?
Separating the art from the artist
Why does what we know about an artist affect how we see their work?
Why is climate change so politicised?
People on the left are more likely to accept climate change than those on the right.
Emotional labour
Why should we value emotional labour?
Why do we find it hard to cut our losses?
When we know we’re in a hole, why do we find it so hard to stop digging?
Confidence: Why it misleads us
There is little overlap between how good people think they are and how good they are
Confidence: How it can help us
How confidence can motivate us and help us live up to our potential
Why is it so hard to get people to pay tax?
Attitudes to tax are determined by some surprising factors.
Why do people risk death in pursuit of adventure?
Why do we choose to do things that could kill us?
Why do we care where we come from?
The need to discover our past and what this tells us about ourselves
Why aren’t more women in computer science?
Computing history is filled with the accomplishments of women. But where are they now?
Schadenfreude
Why do we enjoy the misfortunes of others?
Why should we work together?
Have we become obsessed with the idea of collaboration?
Why do some people become hermits?
What makes people choose a life of isolation and silence?
Why do we care so much about games?
Why do so many people care so much about their sports teams?
Why does nature calm anxiety?
We find out how the natural world affects our mental health
Why do we blend?
Blending is a distinctly human activity. Why do we do it?
Why do funerals matter?
Why funerals matter so profoundly to us, as individuals and societies
Why learn to be happy?
Happiness is a fundamental human desire, yet we often struggle to achieve it.
Why do we (still) wear make-up?
What’s the power of make-up? Why can't many of us leave the house without it?
Why are we so gloomy about the world?
Sandra Kanthal asks if human nature is wired to fixate on the downsides of life.
Why do some people reject society?
Why do some people reject traditional forms of education, housing and even government?
Why do we love camping?
Why do people ditch the comforts of modern life to go and sleep under the stars?
Intuition: Why should we trust it?
What exactly is intuition? And why should we trust it?
Intuition: Why should we be cautious of it?
Why do we get so attached to our intuitions? And can they mislead us?
Why are we shy?
Why do we feel shy and what can we do about it?
Why are we conscious of so little?
Why are humans conscious of so little of what goes on around us?
Why are we conscious?
What evolutionary advantage does consciousness bestow upon us?
Why do we cheat on our partners?
Could the answer lie in our DNA, our upbringing or our lack of self control?
Why grandparents are important
Why do grandparents care for their grandchildren and what effect does it have on them?
Why do we need to talk about men?
Michael Blastland investigates talk of a crisis in masculinity.
Why does music affect the way we feel?
An exploration of why and how music can exert a powerful effect on our emotions
Resilience
Why are we resilient?
Parties
Why is party planning so hard?
Victim blaming
In cases of sexual assault, why do people so often blame the victim?
Dystopias
Why is dystopic fiction so appealing?
Why do physical scars matter?
What do the marks on our skin tell us about ourselves and our place in the world?
Why do we text instead of talk?
The popularity of texting is changing how we communicate and relate to each other
Millennials and business
Why are millennials so attracted to starting their own businesses?
