Podcasts by David Baddiel Tries to Understand

Crying from 2018-11-26T12:09

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 theori...

Global Trade from 2018-11-14T20:59

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 whe...

Fashion from 2018-10-31T20:59

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 fam...

TV Broadcasting from 2017-10-11T19:45

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 decade...

The Constitution from 2017-10-04T19:45

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? Sh...

Hacking from 2017-09-27T19:45

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 li...

Bitcoin from 2017-09-22T09:31

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 ...

Fracking from 2017-09-13T20:00

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...

The Kardashians from 2017-09-06T20:00

In the first episode of a new series, David Baddiel tries to understand the Kardashians.

David starts by unpicking the Kardashian family tree, explores how they became ubiquitous, and asks...

Rugby from 2016-08-10T20:00

In the last episode of this series, David sets out to understand the rules of rugby union.

Producer: Giles Edwards.

The US Electoral System from 2016-08-03T19:59

David Baddiel tries to get to grips with the US electoral system.

2016 has seen lots of twists and turns in American politics, and David isn't the only one to have found them confusing. So...

The IMF from 2016-07-27T19:59

David Baddiel tries to understand what the International Monetary Fund actually does.

He starts by speaking to the former Chancellor, Alastair Darling, and rapidly discovers that he might...

Pi from 2016-07-27T09:48

David is asked by a member of the public to try and understand Pi, and what it means for its digits to continue infinitely. He starts out with a mathematician and the biggest circle he can find,...

The Cloud from 2016-07-13T20:00

After receiving suggestions of topics that merit explanation through social media, David Baddiel sets out to make sense of The Cloud (as in computing, rather than meteorology). David speaks to t...

Nuts from 2016-07-06T20:00

David Baddiel sets out to make sense of some apparently puzzling topics.

In the first programme of this series, after receiving suggested topics on social media, David tries to understand ...

Sunni and Shia Islam from 2015-01-28T21:00

In the final episode in the series, David Baddiel tries to understand the difference between Sunni and Shia Islam.

David speaks to senior theologians from both traditions, but can he navig...

Derivatives from 2015-01-21T21:00

Continuing his quest for understanding, David Baddiel explores derivatives. What are they and how do they work?

David begins by meeting journalist Janice Turner, who initially suggested th...

Cryptic Crosswords from 2015-01-14T21:00

Continuing his new series where he tries to make sense of apparently puzzling matters, David Baddiel seeks to understand something which is meant to be puzzling: cryptic crosswords.

David ...

Electricity from 2015-01-07T21:00

In a new series, David Baddiel sets out to make sense of some apparently puzzling topics.

In this first programme, and after hearing suggestions from his followers on social media, David s...