Why Do We Do That?

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Ella Al-Shamahi investigates the origins of everyday human habits and behaviour.

An anthropologist's guide to the modern world. Ella Al-Shamahi investigates the origins of everyday human habits and behaviour.

Why Do We Do That? An anthropologist's guide to the modern world.

There are lots of everyday things which, when you think about them, are pretty weird. Like kissing, doomscrolling and sitting down to go to the loo. Social media may tell you to blame the latest influencer who went viral. Your therapist might tell you to blame your parents. But palaeoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi is here to tell you to blame your great, great, great, great, great, etc. grandparents. For some stuff at least. In this series, Ella is joined by some wonderful guests to dive into the cultural, historical and evolutionary story of everyday human habits and behaviour.

Photo: Sarah Cresswell / The Times / News Licensing

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Why Do We Do That?: Why Do We Wear Make-Up?

Why Do We Wear Make-Up?

BBC Radio 4 - Why Do We Do That?, Why Do We Wear Make-Up?

Are make-up trends purely a fad, or is there some deeper purpose to our love of lipstick?

For millenia, large portions of the planet have smeared, smudged and blended makeup across their faces.  But why - is it purely cultural, or is there something else going on?

Make-up has a long history - from the surprising use of lipstick in ancient Greece to today's Tiktok trends - and though fashions may have changed, some things, like red lips, cheeks, and defined eyes, keep cropping up.  So in this episode, Ella Al-Shamahi investigates if there is any biological basis to make-up?  Joined by Journalist and BBC Radio 1 presenter Katie Thistleton, and psychologist Professor Richard Russell, Ella discovers fascinating research on how make-up can change the way we perceive faces and ponders on a slightly strange theory about make-up and orgasm.

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