Why millions of women - and some men - paint their faces Read more
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Make-up
Why millions of women - and some men - paint their faces
The Sea
The compelling attractions of the sea through literature and science
Bathing: Supernatural Waters
Why can the ubiquitous act of bathing mean so many different things for different people?
Bathing: Water, Health and Well-being
The second of two programmes looking at why we bathe: the rituals and practices.
The City
Why do humans live in cities? And, what are the pros and cons of the modern metropolis?
Fire
Why are we fascinated with fire and what do myths tell us about how we view its power?
Tattoos
What motivates people to decorate their bodies with ink?
Ageing
Why are attitudes towards older people often so negative?
Violent Entertainment
What explains our enduring attraction to violent entertainment?
Mountains
What draws people to mountains and take risks scaling dangerous peaks?
Celebrity
Why has the modern world become so obsessed with celebrity culture?
Monogamy
Does true love have to be monogamous? We hear three very modern love stories.
Female Body Hair
The history of hair removal and what it tells us about notions of female beauty
Memory
How human memory works and why some memories are remembered more easily than others
Fasting
Why people choose to abstain from food for religious - and non-religious - reasons
Sad Music
Sad music has become more popular according to a recent study. Why do people listen to it?
Nostalgia
Why do we look back and yearn for the past, or recall sweet memories of our youth?
Burial
Burial is a practice that鈥檚 been carried out for centuries 鈥 but why do we do it?
Swearing
Why some words have such power to shock and offend
Bullying
Why do we bully, why do some do it and others allow it?
Speed
Why are we obsessed with speed? Mike Williams investigates.
Walk on the Wild Side
Why has Lou Reed's music changed everything? Mike Williams explains
The Lie
How different cultures define telling the truth
Optimism and Pessimism
Why do some people have a darker outlook on life while others have a brighter one?
Secrets
They represent power, they can generate fear, but why do we have secrets?
Solitude
How far can or should we pursue solitude?
The Heel
Where did the fascination with elevated footwear come from? Why wear high heels?
Crying
Crying emotional tears is uniquely human but why do we do it?
Cross Dressing
Artist Grayson Perry, a train driver and a detective novelist on why they cross dress
Debt
How the way we borrow and lend money is changing
Nitrogen: Forgetting Fritz
Fritz Haber harnessed nitrogen to feed billions, but was also the pioneer of gas warfare