Beards

0:00:02 > 0:00:03BELL RINGS

0:00:03 > 0:00:06- Looking good, Professor.- You're sure to win Beard of the Year with that.

0:00:06 > 0:00:08Huh! Fat chance of that.

0:00:08 > 0:00:10HE SINGS TO HIMSELF

0:00:10 > 0:00:13Wow! Now, that's a beard!

0:00:13 > 0:00:14HE LAUGHS

0:00:14 > 0:00:17Better luck next year, McCork. As if!

0:00:17 > 0:00:20Well, someone seems a little overconfident.

0:00:20 > 0:00:21BELL RINGS

0:00:21 > 0:00:24Come on, let's do this. I've got a trophy to win!

0:00:24 > 0:00:27This is Brain Freeze.

0:00:27 > 0:00:29With Dr Knowles,

0:00:29 > 0:00:32Professor McCork,

0:00:32 > 0:00:35Colin, the floor manager

0:00:35 > 0:00:37And Ms Hucklebuck.

0:00:37 > 0:00:39Stand by!

0:00:44 > 0:00:45- TOGETHER:- It's time for...

0:00:49 > 0:00:52Today, we're asking - why can't girls grow beards?

0:00:52 > 0:00:55As children get older, their bodies begin to change

0:00:55 > 0:00:57during a time we call puberty.

0:00:57 > 0:01:01Around the age of 10 to 16, hormones called androgens

0:01:01 > 0:01:05cause body hair to become thicker and darker in both boys and girls.

0:01:05 > 0:01:08This happens more widely on the male body,

0:01:08 > 0:01:09especially on the chest,

0:01:09 > 0:01:11the upper lip, the face...

0:01:11 > 0:01:15The ears, nostrils, along your back and shoulders, between your toes...

0:01:15 > 0:01:18Well, some people are hairier than others, Professor.

0:01:18 > 0:01:20The truth is, it's different for everyone.

0:01:20 > 0:01:22And isn't it great to be a bit different?

0:01:22 > 0:01:24See you after the break!

0:01:26 > 0:01:29HE SINGS TO HIMSELF

0:01:29 > 0:01:31Back of the net! Ooh-hoo-hoo!

0:01:31 > 0:01:35Oh, what a lovely trophy. So shiny.

0:01:35 > 0:01:37What's it for, Jonathan?

0:01:37 > 0:01:39Oh, it's nothing major.

0:01:39 > 0:01:41It's just this little competition that my family has won

0:01:41 > 0:01:44FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS! Ha-ha!

0:01:44 > 0:01:48Beard of the Year - he wins it every time.

0:01:48 > 0:01:51Mm... Is that so?

0:01:51 > 0:01:52Hmm...

0:01:52 > 0:01:55Steady hand, nice and relaxed.

0:01:55 > 0:01:57- BELL RINGS - WAH!

0:01:57 > 0:02:00Aagh-aagh! Oh, crumpets! No!

0:02:00 > 0:02:01My beautiful beard!

0:02:01 > 0:02:03Positions, everybody!

0:02:08 > 0:02:12So tell us, Dr Knowles, why can't girls grow beards?

0:02:12 > 0:02:15In much the same way as lions and peacocks use hair

0:02:15 > 0:02:17and feathers to attract females,

0:02:17 > 0:02:20some believe men evolved to do the same with facial hair.

0:02:20 > 0:02:24Men produce ten times more testosterone than women.

0:02:24 > 0:02:26This is the hormone that promotes hair growth.

0:02:26 > 0:02:28So, that's why men are hairier?

0:02:28 > 0:02:29Exactly.

0:02:29 > 0:02:33In fact, if a man never, ever shaves his facial hair,

0:02:33 > 0:02:37it could grow up to nine metres long during his lifetime.

0:02:37 > 0:02:40Whoa! Imagine, that would be the beard of the century.

0:02:40 > 0:02:44Higher levels of testosterone also result in men's greater

0:02:44 > 0:02:47upper body strength and deepened voices,

0:02:47 > 0:02:50but also a tendency towards more aggressive behaviour.

0:02:50 > 0:02:52Aah!

0:02:52 > 0:02:54HE LAUGHS

0:02:54 > 0:02:57- Us men can be right silly sometimes.- Yep.

0:02:57 > 0:02:59We can all be a bit silly now and then.

0:02:59 > 0:03:01See you next time!

0:03:01 > 0:03:03And we're clear!

0:03:03 > 0:03:05Na-na-nana-nah!

0:03:05 > 0:03:08I'm the only entrant, therefore I'm the winner!

0:03:08 > 0:03:10Gracious as ever, McCork(!)

0:03:10 > 0:03:14Woohoo! Late entrant for the competition.

0:03:14 > 0:03:16Where do I sign up?

0:03:16 > 0:03:18But that's a fake beard from the joke shop.

0:03:18 > 0:03:21We spent months growing these beards.

0:03:21 > 0:03:23Yes, and so what?

0:03:23 > 0:03:25Well, it says here, Professor,

0:03:25 > 0:03:29the overall winner shall be the person sporting the biggest beard.

0:03:29 > 0:03:32Sorry, it doesn't say that you have to grow it yourself.

0:03:32 > 0:03:34BOTH: Oh, crumpets!

0:03:34 > 0:03:37Congratulations, Ms Hucklebuck!

0:03:37 > 0:03:40Oh, wonderful. Beard of the Year!

0:03:40 > 0:03:45- Oh, well. Better luck next year, boys.- Oh.