David Baddiel Tries to Understand

BBC Radio 4
  • 4.5 (24)
  • RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
David Baddiel Tries to Understand

David Baddiel tries to make sense of some apparently puzzling topics.

  1. 11/26/2018

    Crying

    David Baddiel tries to understand crying: why does water come out of our eyes when we get emotional? David sets off to meet two experts who have each studied this. They have lots of theories, but is there an answer? Producer: Giles Edwards

    14 min

  2. 11/14/2018

    Global Trade

    David Baddiel tries to understand global trade. With trade in the headlines - from both Brexit and President Trump - David is keen to understand how world trade works (or doesn't), and where the World Trade Organisation fits in. With help from Dr. Meredith Crowley, an expert in international trade and trade policy at Cambridge University, and Chris Southworth, Director General at the International Chamber of Commerce, can David get to grips with it all in just 14 minutes? Producer: Giles Edwards

    14 min

  3. 10/31/2018

    Fashion

    David Baddiel tries to understand how the fashion industry works: what makes things fashionable? David is challenged by a listener from Wigan to explain why, when he needed to attend a family party a few years ago, the only trousers available to buy then were pleated. This sets David off on an unlikely quest to Paris Fashion Week to find the answer. When he arrives, he finds himself on the front row of a fashion show, bumps into fashion designers in the street, and is taken under the wing of one of fashion's most influential bloggers. But what is the answer, and can he explain it? Producer: Giles Edwards

    14 min

  4. 10/11/2017

    TV Broadcasting

    David Baddiel tries to understand TV broadcasting. In the last episode of the current series, David helps broadcaster Danny Baker understand TV broadcasting. Both of them have spent decades in and around TV, but neither quite understands how it works. Danny wonders if there is a 'magic room' where all the programmes get lined up and broadcast out, and David sets off to find it. Producer: Giles Edwards.

    16 min

  5. 10/04/2017

    The Constitution

    David Baddiel tries to understand the United Kingdom's constitution. What does a constitution do? Does not having a written constitution mean we don't really have a constitution at all? Should we? And where does the Royal Family fit in? David speaks to Lord Lisvane, a former Clerk of the House of Commons, and to Lord Turnbull, once the country's top civil servant, to understand these and other puzzling questions about the constitution. Producer: Giles Edwards.

    16 min

  6. 09/27/2017

    Hacking

    David Baddiel tries to understand computer hacking. Is hacking just about people being careless with their passwords, or do hackers sit in darkened rooms, furiously tapping away at keys like in the movies? David wants to understand what hacking actually is, and how it works, and he speaks to two experts to help him. Producer: Giles Edwards.

    16 min

  7. 09/22/2017

    Bitcoin

    David Baddiel investigates Bitcoin. What is it, and how does it work? Bitcoin is often in the news, but David has always been confused about what, exactly, it is. And with the help of two experts in the field David sets out to find out. He starts by speaking to Nathaniel Popper, whose best-selling book Digital Gold tells the history of how Bitcoin was invented. Invigorated by his new-found knowledge, his second interview heads in a more practical direction. Producer: Giles Edwards.

    14 min

  8. 09/13/2017

    Fracking

    David Baddiel tries to understand fracking. David asks how it differs from traditional drilling, what kind of gas it produces, and if it is bad for the environment. Speaking to two experts: Francis Egan of fracking company Cuadrilla, and Hannah Martin of Greenpeace, David gets to the bottom of these and other issues. Producer: Giles Edwards.

    14 min
See All (19)

Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

David Baddiel tries to make sense of some apparently puzzling topics.

Information

More From BBC

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada