Many of them pre-date modern religions and defy what science tells us about the world - from saluting magpies, to wearing lucky pants. Yet why do superstitions still have such a strong hold on our lives?

Today we’re joined by Sally Coulthard, author of Superstition - the History of Common Folk Beliefs, to find out the origins and meaning behind some of our most common ritualistic behaviours.

Why do we touch wood? And what does crossing our fingers say about the crossover between superstition and religion? Let’s go Betwixt the Sheets to find out.

This episode was edited by Siobhan Dale, and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer Charlotte Long.

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