Why do we Behave so Oddly Inside Elevators?

This week, the lift. Why do we behave so oddly inside them?

• 18 mins

Why do we smoke?

In this week's programme Mike Williams looks at why people start smoking.

• 17 mins

The Bullet

The history and design of the bullet and why people use them

• 17 mins

Why do we laugh?

What is it that actually triggers our laughter, do all of us find the same things funny?

• 17 mins

The Shaved Head

Why do we care so much about the hair on our heads? Join Mike Williams to find out why.

• 17 mins

The Handshake

Millions of us use this gesture but where does this everyday ritual come from?

• 17 mins

Coming of Age

Why do different cultures mark the advent of adulthood at different ages?

• 17 mins

Blue

The weird world of the colour blue.

• 17 mins

The Tap

What changes when taps come to town? Mike Williams travels to Ghana.

• 17 mins

Fear - Episode 1

What is fear? Are our fears universal and how do we go about facing our fears?

• 17 mins

Fear - Episode 2

Why do some of us enjoy and endure fear, horror and suspense?

• 17 mins

The Drum

Why do we find the beat of the drum so intoxicating?

• 17 mins

The Sackman (and other stories)

The Sackman - a very different Father Christmas

• 17 mins

Manners

The strange customs and conduct that make up ‘good manners’. Where do they come from?

• 17 mins

Nitrogen: Forgetting Fritz

Why have we forgotten Fritz Haber?

• 17 mins

The Heel

Where did the fascination with elevated footwear come from and what do they tell us?

• 17 mins

The Boxers of Bukom

Why are the men of Bukom in Accra so good at boxing?

• 17 mins

Mirrors

Mike Williams explores the myths and mysteries of the mirror

• 17 mins

The Mob

Why do we behave differently when we are in a large crowd?

• 17 mins

Black

Mike Williams peers into the world of black and asks why it has so many different meanings

• 17 mins

Why are Open Plan Offices the Norm?

Why has the open plan office become the norm in many places, despite the distractions?

• 17 mins

Cultural Memory

We all have memories but do we share some of those, socially or collectively? If so, why?

• 17 mins

PTSD

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and why is it so controversial?

• 17 mins

Silence

What role does silence play in our lives and why can it be so poignant or so awkward?

• 17 mins

Sleep

The first of two programmes which looks at human behaviour and sleep.

• 17 mins

Why do we get insomnia?

The second of two programmes about humans and sleep.

• 17 mins

Retirement

Why do we retire?

• 17 mins

Ageing

Why are attitudes towards older people often so negative?

• 17 mins

The Kiss

Why do humans kiss?

• 17 mins

Singing

Singing is a way of bringing people together, expressing joy or sadness. Why do we sing?

• 17 mins