Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Alle afleveringen
235 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Kyoto: The Battle that Defined Climate Politics - with Joe Robertson
21 november 2025 · 39 min
Misinformation, double-dealing, character assassination - lobbyist Don Pearlman will stop at nothing to prevent the world from agreeing to cut carbon emissions. This arch disrupter, who works for fossil fuel companies and oil-producing nations, is determined that the climate talks in Kyoto, COP3, will fail. Will Don's tactics succeed, and what will it mean for the future of the planet? Lees meer
Tim is joined by playwright Joe Robertson to discuss Kyoto, the political thriller he and co-writer Joe Murphy based on 1997's international climate negotiations.
Kyoto is currently on stage at the Lincoln Center in New York https://www.lct.org/shows/kyoto/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Treasure Hunt that Broke America (Part 2)
14 november 2025 · 41 min
Forrest Fenn’s legendary treasure hunt ignites a nationwide obsession. The thrill of adventure, the promise of gold, and the call of the wild entice many seekers into the quest. Over time, excitement gives way to conspiracy and resentment, as treasure hunters stray into increasingly dangerous or aggressive interpretations of the clues. As the body count climbs, even Forrest begins to fear for his safety. Lees meer
For a full list of show notes see www.timharford.com
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The Treasure Hunt that Broke America (Part 1)
7 november 2025 · 38 min
Forrest Fenn never does things the regular way. Despite no formal training and little knowledge of art, he becomes a millionaire gallery owner. An outsider by nature, Fenn’s charm, audacity, and disregard for convention earns him both wealth and respect. When a streak of bad luck threatens to destroy his empire, Fenn dreams up an audacious final act. He'll mastermind the greatest treasure hunt America has ever known. As the legend spreads, and gold fever grips the nation, Fenn begins to lose control. Lees meer
The story of Forrest Fenn's treasure hunt will continue next week.
Find "Who Can You Trust?" by Rachel Botsman (19:45), on Apple Books or where ever you get your audiobooks.
This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123
Read more about Tim's work at http://timharford.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Truth About Hansel and Gretel (Classic)
31 oktober 2025 · 37 min
Was the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel - the story of a woodcutter’s children abandoned in the woods and left at the mercy of a witch - in fact, early true crime? A hit book - The Truth About Hansel and Gretel - said that historical records pointed to the story being based on fact. Are we too quick to dismiss the truth behind tall stories? Or are we always falling for tales that are too good to be true? Lees meer
This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123
Read more about Tim's work at http://timharford.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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On Fire from the Inside - Lethal Injection Up Close with Malcolm Gladwell
28 oktober 2025 · 27 min
Last week, Cautionary Tales told the tragic story of Derek Bentley, exploring Britain's troubled relationship with capital punishment. Across the Atlantic, Revisionist History has also been scrutinizing what it means for a state to try to execute a person. For this bonus episode, Malcolm Gladwell joins Tim Harford to discuss his new series The Alabama Murders, and to confront the disturbing truth behind the death penalty in America today. Lees meer
Hear Revisionist History: The Alabama Murders wherever you get podcasts.
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Derek Bentley Must Hang
24 oktober 2025 · 39 min
An amateurish burglary in 1950s London ends in murder. One of the men involved is a 19-year-old named Derek Bentley. Bentley has the understanding of a child - and he wasn't the killer. But the British justice system seems determined to deliver the death penalty. The fate of capital punishment lies in the balance, and so too does the fate of Derek Bentley. Lees meer
For a full list of show notes go to timharford.com, and to join our new Patreon, go to patreon.com/cautionaryclub.
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The Canal, the Crash and the Ketamine - Pushkin's Reign of Error
17 oktober 2025 · 44 min
In 1983, a plane takes off from Ottawa with less than half the required fuel on board. As the engines cut out one by one, the pilot is left with a ticking clock and an impossible task. But what does a tale of an unusual plane crash have in common with one about a disappearing canal? Lees meer
For this special episode, Tim is joined by colleagues from across Pushkin's podcast network. Heavyweight's Jonathan Goldstein stops by to muse on the cost of mistakes and whether we're really in control of how many we make. Plus, Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova from the podcast Risky Business give a gambler's take on the strange science of regret.
Heavyweight and Risky Business are available wherever you get your podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Schrödinger's Spy: Businessman, Fraud, or Russian Agent? - with Sam Jones
10 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 2 min
When the Financial Times uncovered the billion-dollar Wirecard fraud, it seemed like the story was over. But then the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Jan Marsalek, vanished - leaving behind clues that pointed to a double life as a secret agent. Lees meer
In his new podcast Hot Money: Agent of Chaos, FT journalist Sam Jones follows Marsalek’s trail through a globe-spanning world of spies, secrets, and corruption. Sam joins Tim to take him behind the scenes of the hunt for Marsalek, share his insights on the future of Russian espionage, and explore what modern spy stories tell us about ourselves.
Find Hot Money: Agent of Chaos wherever you get your podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Missing Fish and Fatal Feasts: Ritual and Ruin at the Sun King’s Table
3 oktober 2025 · 43 min
In the gilded court of Louis XIV, 17th Century France, manners are everything. Where to sit, how to eat, what to wear - any misstep is costly. No one knows this better than François Vatel, the greatest party planner in all of France. Tonight, Vatel must deliver the ultimate banquet, a chance for his master to rise through the ranks and win the king's favor. But where there is opportunity there is danger, and even one mistake could prove deadly. Lees meer
WARNING: This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123
For a full list of show notes go to timharford.com, and to join our new Patreon, go to patreon.com/cautionaryclub.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Don't Panic! Douglas Adams' Guide to Tomorrow - with Arvind Ethan David
26 september 2025 · 38 min
Writer Douglas Adams, best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, used science fiction and satire to warn us about potential dangers in our future, from artificial intelligence to social media and animal extinction. In this Cautionary Conversation, Tim is joined by Arvind Ethan David, author of the new audiobook Douglas Adams: Ends of the Earth, to discuss why Adams was in the business of telling Cautionary Tales, his worries (and fixes) for the future, and what we all have in common with a sentient puddle. Lees meer
For more information go to timharford.com.
Douglas Adams Ends of the Earth on audiobook: https://www.pushkin.fm/audiobooks/douglas-adams-the-ends-of-the-earth
The Hitchhikers Immersive evening in London: https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-185234/
Become a Cautionary Club member on Patreon for bonus Cautionary Tales episodes, behind-the-scenes chats, newsletters, and more. To join Pushkin+ visit pushkin.fm or the show page on Apple.
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A Deadly Day at the Races: What Radical Protest Can and Cannot Do
19 september 2025 · 41 min
After years of campaigning for votes for women, the Suffragettes emerge at the turn of the 20th Century. Their motto, 'Deeds Not Words', heralds the start of more radical actions, including fire bombing, civil disobedience and hunger strikes. Emily Davison is a passionate rebel, but she pushes at the limits of what her allies find acceptable. History remembers Emily for her final act, but have we got everything about the story right? Lees meer
WARNING: This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123
Read more about Tim's work at http://timharford.com/
Become a Cautionary Club member on Patreon for bonus Cautionary Tales episodes, behind-the-scenes chats, newsletters, and more. To join Pushkin+ visit pushkin.fm or the show page on Apple.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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True Lies and Genuine Fakes
12 september 2025 · 41 min
In 1998, an art gallery gets a mysterious phone call. The caller claims they have been fooled by a master forger and that many of their prized paintings are fakes. Or are they? Lees meer
This is the story of the life and lies of the notorious Eric Hebborn. What did he do, and what does that teach us about how we can root out deepfakes without undermining our trust in reality?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com
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Stalling for Survival - A Lonely Fight Against a Deadly Medicine
5 september 2025 · 39 min
In 1960, FDA scientist Frances Oldham Kelsey is tasked with approving an application for a mild sedative to be sold in America. The drug is popular across Europe and is touted to be free of side effects, so this should be a routine job. But something doesn't sit right with Frances and she starts digging for evidence to support her suspicions. As the pharmaceutical company pushes for speedy approval, Frances discovers the drug's devastating impact. Katie Hafner, host of The Lost Women of Science podcast, joins Tim to explain why America should remember the woman who kept Thalidomide off the market. Lees meer
To join the brand new Cautionary Club and get access to exclusive episodes and ad-free listening, head to patreon.com/cautionaryclub
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Announcing: The Cautionary Club
2 september 2025 · 2 min
Do you want more Cautionary Tales episodes in your life? Do you want access to behind the scenes stories and bonus conversations with Tim? Do you want to support us in making the show? Lees meer
We're excited to announce the brand new Cautionary Club on Patreon. Subscribers will gain access to exclusive content every month, including a newsletter uncovering new details behind a recent episode, a conversation between Tim and one of the team, and a full length Cautionary Tale.
The Cautionary Club is also going to be a space where you can discuss episodes with other members, vote for topics you want to hear about, ask questions, and be the first to hear any Cautionary Tales news.
Join today at patreon.com/cautionaryclub
Our weekly free episodes of Cautionary Tales will continue to drop every Friday, and, if you are a Pushkin + subscriber, you will continue to gain access to exclusive shows from across the Pushkin network. If you are interested in switching your subscription, or have any questions, please email info@pushkin.fm
To join the club today, head to patreon.com/cautionaryclub
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Disaster Favours the Daring: Shipwreck at Honda Point
29 augustus 2025 · 40 min
In 1923, legendary navigator Captain Dolly Hunter led a squadron of warships into America’s worst peacetime naval catastrophe. The mission was supposed to be a speed trial, a display of the squadron’s skill. But it ended in a maritime pile-up, with some destroyers stranded on rocks, others sinking fast, and deadly oil leaking into the Pacific Ocean. How? Lees meer
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Paradise Poisoned: How Utopias Fall Apart
22 augustus 2025 · 41 min
Dore Strauch and Friedrich Ritter make an unconventional couple, united by their contempt for shoes, root vegetables and, above all, society. In 1929 they leave Germany and begin anew on the deserted Galapagos island of Floreana. At first, it feels like a paradise, but soon cracks begin to show. Parasitic fleas, bombastic interlopers, and buried tensions turn their escape into a nightmare. Can they learn to thrive away from civilisation, or will Floreana claim more than their dreams? Lees meer
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"Genius Still Unrecognised" - The Worst Poet in the World
15 augustus 2025 · 40 min
William McGonagall's poems are something else. The jarring meter, the banal imagery, the awkward rhymes: they made him a laughing stock in 19th Century Scotland and are still derided to this day. How does someone get that bad at poetry? Or have we been misunderstanding McGonagall all along? Lees meer
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Office Hell: The Demise of the Playful Workspace (Classic)
8 augustus 2025 · 39 min
In the early 90s, cutting-edge advertising agency Chiat/Day announced a radical plan, aimed at giving the company a jolt of creative renewal. They would sweep away corner offices and cubicles and replace them with zany open spaces, as well as innovative portable computers and phones. A brand new era of “hot-desking” had arrived. Lees meer
Problems quickly began. Disgruntled employees found themselves hauling temperamental, clunky laptops and armfuls of paperwork all over the office; some even had to use the trunks of their cars as filing cabinets. Soon, the unhappy nomads had had enough.
Bad execution was to blame for the failure of this “playful” workspace. But Chiat/Day had made another mistake here, too – one that was more serious, more fundamental and altogether more common.
For a full list of sources for this episode, go to timharford.com.
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Number Fever: How Pepsi Nearly Went Pop (Classic)
1 augustus 2025 · 36 min
Pepsi twice ended up in court after promotions went disastrously wrong. Other big companies have fallen into the same trap - promising customers rewards so generous that to fulfil the promise might mean corporate bankruptcy. Lees meer
Businesses and customers alike are sometimes blinded by the big numbers in such PR stunts - but it's usually the customers, not the businesses, who end up losing out.
For a full list of show notes see http://timharford.com/
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Fire at The Beverly Hills Supper Club (Update)
25 juli 2025 · 32 min
It's been five years since Cautionary Tales ran a mini-series about the Covid-19 pandemic, exploring the lessons we were learning in real time as the crisis unfolded. 'Fire at The Beverly Hills Supper Club' tells the story of a deadly blaze in a Cincinnati hotel and Tim's own experience reacting to new information about the virus. After the episode, Tim reflects on the anniversary, the cautionary tales the pandemic still had to teach us, and whether we've learned enough to deal with the next one. Lees meer
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"Captain Kirk Forgot to put the Machine on Stun"
18 juli 2025 · 40 min
Lying on the cold metal table, Voyne Ray Cox knew the drill. This was his ninth round of cancer treatment - which is why he was certain that what happened next couldn't be right. He heard a sizzling sound and saw a blue flash. And then - agony. It was like someone had thrust a hot skewer through his shoulder. He cried out in pain, but the operator was down the corridor and she couldn't hear him. She blasted him again and again with the red-hot radiation beam. Lees meer
Ray wasn't the first patient to be burned by the Therac-25 therapy machine, and he wouldn't be the last. Its dual-purpose design, controlled by a software programme, was supposed to offer hospitals more bang for their buck. But as patient after patient suffered ulcerated skin and yawning lesions, it should have been clear that something was horribly wrong. Why did it take so long for anyone to put this awful puzzle together?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
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"I get in trouble when I say things like this" - Michael Lewis on Sam Bankman-Fried
11 juli 2025 · 46 min
Acclaimed author Michael Lewis discusses his time with Sam Bankman-Fried and why he thinks both high finance and Effective Altruism shaped the 'Crypto King's' worldview, ultimately landing him in jail. Plus, we hear about the people fighting terrorism, cave-ins and brain-eating amoeba from Michael's new book 'Who Is Government?'. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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Grand Theft Automated: How to Save a Trillion Lives
4 juli 2025 · 39 min
A radical thought experiment transforms the lives of a new breed of philanthropists, as they follow the logic of altruism to extraordinary lengths. The most famous convert to the Effective Altruism movement, Sam Bankman-Fried, is either a humanitarian hero, a con artist at an astonishing scale, or most bafflingly, both. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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The Man who Solved Kindness
27 juni 2025 · 38 min
George Price is on a mission to prove that human kindness is real. He's seen the latest research suggesting any altruism is ultimately selfish and finds it deeply depressing. George decides to learn the mathematics he needs to prove that research wrong, and throws his career, and life, into the quest for complete kindness. Lees meer
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The Shark That Ate Hollywood: Jaws at 50
20 juni 2025 · 39 min
Steven Spielberg thought his career was finished. He was behind schedule, his actors were fighting, the crew were mutinous and worst of all, his shark was broken. It looked like Jaws was destined for failure, but the movie that came out defined the Hollywood blockbuster. In this special episode celebrating 50 years of Jaws, we take lessons from the greatest monster movie that almost wasn't made. Lees meer
Thanks to Alastair Greig for additional music.
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
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Le Mans 55: The Deadliest Race
13 juni 2025 · 40 min
The annual Le Mans 24 Hour race brings in hundreds of thousands of spectators to watch the giants of motor racing put their endurance to the ultimate test. Every year, technology improves and the cars get a little faster. In 1955, that push for ultimate speed results in a catastrophe that changes the sport forever. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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The Nazis, the Bomb, and the Woman that Science Forgot
6 juni 2025 · 41 min
Lise Meitner has fought for her entire life to be seen as a scientist, slowly building a career as a nuclear physicist in Berlin. When Adolf Hitler rises to power, the small gains she's made are snatched away. As a Jewish woman, Lise has a critical decision to make: is her passion for science worth her life? Lees meer
An earlier version of this podcast mistakenly gave the wrong date for the bombing of Hiroshima. We apologize for the error.
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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Give Politicians a Raise, Smuggle Smartphones into School, and go Full Donk! Cautionary Questions with Risky Business
30 mei 2025 · 44 min
Can game theory be used to win a world cup? Can you pay the way out of political corruption? And are there winning strategies in life we don't use because we're too embarrassed? Tim teams up with Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova, poker connoisseurs and the hosts of podcast Risky Business to answer your questions, tackling everything from sports, to tariffs, to the evils of smartphones. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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Roosevelt and the Renegade (Panama Disaster 2)
23 mei 2025 · 41 min
Sixteen years have passed since Ferdinand De Lesseps' catastrophic failure in Panama and the dramatic collapse of the French Panama Canal company. Now, President Theodore Roosevelt has picked up the task. “No single great material work,” Roosevelt tells Congress, “is of such consequence to the American people.” Lees meer
The Americans have their work cut out. Enter chief engineer John Stevens. How does he spot a problem no-one else has noticed? And what does he do to solve it?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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The Great Frenchman's Folly (Panama Disaster 1)
16 mei 2025 · 39 min
Ferdinand De Lesseps, "the Great Frenchman", is convinced that he is the man to build the Panama Canal. No, he isn't an engineer and, no, he's never actually been to Panama before. But he managed to dig the Suez Canal, and everyone said that would be impossible too. How hard can it be? Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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Lab Leak: Could Smallpox Come Back?
9 mei 2025 · 38 min
In 1978 the world is on the brink of declaring victory over smallpox. No cases have been seen for months, and it looks like the end for a deadly, painful disease. When a photographer in Birmingham begins to feel ill, doctors are mystified: it looks like smallpox, but how could she have caught it? As they try to contain the outbreak, questions about blame and lab safety erupt in a media frenzy, questions that remain today. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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"Dangerously Near to Absolute Perfection"
2 mei 2025 · 39 min
In 1900, two friends in the flourishing Arts and Crafts Movement in London share a vision: to print the ultimate edition of the Bible. Together they create The Doves Press, and its unique font, Doves. But in their quest to make something beautiful, the friends spiral towards an act of incredible ugliness. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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Buried by the Wall Street Crash (Classic)
25 april 2025 · 36 min
Cautionary Tales returns with a new episode on May 2nd. Lees meer
Both of the world’s greatest economists, Irving Fisher and John Maynard Keynes, thought they could see into the future and make a killing on the stock market - and then both were wiped out by the Wall Street Crash. One died a pauper, the other millionaire. What does it take to bounce back from ruin? Oh... and UFOs.
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“I love being the person who doesn’t know anything” - Why Steven Levitt has swapped academia for podcasting
11 april 2025 · 40 min
20 years ago, a book called Freakonomics became an instant bestseller and worldwide sensation. Tim Harford got his hands on the first copy that Steve Levitt ever signed... and promptly sold it on eBay. In this Cautionary Conversation, the pair are reunited to discuss the Freakonomics phenomenon, why Levitt left the hostile world of academia, and how simple changes could revolutionise everything from education to organ donation. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
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The Old Man and the Wrecking Crew
4 april 2025 · 38 min
When Britain entered its first Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, many found comfort in evoking the British wartime spirit. A timely hero emerged - Captain Tom Moore, a WWII veteran who walked up and down his garden to raise money for frontline nurses. But when the fundraising switched to a new charity, did anyone think to check where was the money was going? Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
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Houdini: The Phone Call from the Coffin (Part 3)
28 maart 2025 · 41 min
Fearing for his life, Harry Houdini leaves secret codes with his loved ones, promising to use them in any post-mortem messaging. In 1926, Houdini's death shocks the world, but the news that follows is even more astounding. A report of the impossible: contact has been made. Lees meer
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
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Houdini's Detective and her 1500 Dead Husbands (Part 2)
21 maart 2025 · 42 min
Harry Houdini finds an ally in his fight against spiritualism, a brilliant detective called Rose Mackenberg, who'll do whatever it takes to expose a fake. Together, the two head to Washington to try and get lawmakers to criminalise mediums. The hearing that follows will be violent, sensational and leave Houdini fearing for his life. Lees meer
This is the second of a three-part series.
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
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Houdini: A Message from the Spirits (Part 1)
14 maart 2025 · 43 min
Harry Houdini is remembered today for his legendary escapes and illusions, but he also had a lifelong obsession with the paranormal. After dabbling in fake seances himself, Houdini made it his mission to uncover frauds and expose mediums. This would put him on a collision course with his spiritualist friend, Arthur Conan Doyle, and leave him fearing for his life. Lees meer
This is the first of a three-part series.
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, exclusive audiobook binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
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Would You Trust a Gangster Nanny? - Cautionary Questions with Rachel Botsman
7 maart 2025 · 41 min
Do we trust our fitness trackers too much? How do fraudsters gain our faith? Why do people trust podcasters? And would you trust a drug dealing nanny with a tambourine? Tim Harford is joined by trust expert Rachel Botsman to answer your questions. Lees meer
Rachel lectures in trust at Oxford University and her new audiobook How To Trust and Be Trusted is available via Pushkin.fm and wherever audiobooks are sold.
We love hearing from you, so please keep your questions coming: tales@pushkin.fm.
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Lights, Camera, Tax Break
28 februari 2025 · 39 min
When Ernest Borgnine gets his big break in Hollywood, he can hardly believe his luck. But soon he discovers his supposed star vehicle, Marty, is not the dream gig he thought it was. Lees meer
In this episode of Cautionary Tales, recorded live at the Bristol Festival of Economics, Tim Harford examines what happens when the murky world of tax avoidance collides with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
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The Nursery Rhyme That Ruined a Rock Band
21 februari 2025 · 38 min
"Down Under" was huge. This jokey ode to legendary Australian wanderlust helped Men at Work win a Grammy and was a key part of the band's creative legacy. By 2007, it had been earning Men At Work a steady stream of royalties for nearly 30 years. That was when a quiz show pointed out the song's subtle connection with an Australian nursery rhyme... Lees meer
Tim Harford examines one of the most controversial copyright battles in music history. Where does inspiration end and infringement begin?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Widow Who Disrupted Champagne (with Ben Walter)
19 februari 2025 · 21 min
Tim Harford is joined by Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and the host of "The Unshakeables" podcast, to explore the story of the trailblazing Widow Clicquot. Her namesake brand Veuve Clicquot revolutionized the champagne industry in the 19th century. Tim and Ben look at how she defied expectations and built one of the most iconic businesses in history. Lees meer
This episode is sponsored by Chase for Business. For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Thrill and the Drop: A First Date Rollercoaster
14 februari 2025 · 39 min
Leah Washington and her new boyfriend Joe Pugh are on their first day out together. They're at Alton Towers theme park, where they've chosen to ride the "Smiler" rollercoaster: a terrifying tangle of track that loops and swoops through a world-record 14 inversions. Leah and Joe are seated right at the front of the train and, as they reach the highest point of the ride, they steel themselves for the drop. But then, quite suddenly, the ride stops. Lees meer
Down on the ground, the computer system that controls the rollercoaster is warning that another carriage is out on the track, right in the path of Leah and Joe's train. The engineers are certain the computer is wrong...
Algorithms are often faster and cleverer than humans, and they can help us avoid accidents. But computers can make mistakes. When should we trust our own heads, instead of the machine?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dr. Brinkley's Miracle Cure For Impotence (with Betwixt The Sheets)
7 februari 2025 · 38 min
Cautionary Conversation: In the 1920s, a conman convinced America that goat testicles were the secret to male virility. Tim Harford and Dr Kate Lister (Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society) dive into the bizarre and grisly tale of "Doctor" John Brinkley. This snake oil salesman mobilised the power of radio marketing to build an empire on goat gland transplants and other quack "cures". And Brinkley might have got away with it, were it not for his nemesis: the tenacious Dr. Morris Fishbein. Lees meer
Find Betwixt the Sheets here: https://podfollow.com/betwixt-the-sheets-the-history-of-sex-scandal-society
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Night of the Mugger
31 januari 2025 · 42 min
Winston Trew has just been arrested for mugging. It's 1972 and the crime has recently made its way to Britain from the United States. Dangerous thugs, replicating their American counterparts, have made the city of London their hunting ground - so Winston's eventual conviction is a win for the police, and for the press. Lees meer
The problem is, 22-year-old Winston is completely innocent.
Do you have a question for Tim Harford and Rachel Botsman about trust? Please send it in to tales@pushkin.fm.
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Missing on "Dead Mountain": A Cold War Cold Case
24 januari 2025 · 46 min
In the bleak Russian winter of 1959, nine experienced hikers led by Igor Dyatlov set out on an expedition. None of them made it back alive. Lees meer
When their campsite was finally discovered, it told a chilling story: their tent was slashed open, bodies scattered across the snow. The hikers' injuries were as baffling as they were gruesome. One had had his head stoved in. Bits of bone had been driven into his brain. Others were missing their eyes and their tongues.
Had the hikers angered the local Mansi tribespeople? Had they witnessed a secret military experiment? Or had something even more strange and sinister unfolded on Dead Mountain?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Frozen in a Burning 747 (Tenerife Air Disaster 2)
17 januari 2025 · 37 min
Two airplanes have just collided on the runway at Tenerife Airport. While no one on the Amsterdam-bound KLM plane survives the resulting fireball, 71 Pan-Am passengers and crew make it off their plane. But could it have been more? Why did so many Pan-Am passengers die, even though they weren’t injured by the initial collision and their plane was still on the ground? Lees meer
For a full list of sources see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Cleared For Take-Off? (Tenerife Air Disaster 1)
10 januari 2025 · 33 min
“Evacuate the airport, we’ve planted bombs,” a terrorist tells the telephone operator at the airport in Gran Canaria, in 1977. By the end of that day, 583 people will have lost their lives – but not to a bomb explosion. Lees meer
The planes are diverted to the neighboring island of Tenerife. Loaded with passengers, they’re forced to sit on the hot tarmac for hours. Meanwhile, the flight crews rely on air traffic control to keep them updated.
Two Boeing 747s are waiting for thick fog to lift so that they can begin the journey home; they're anxious to receive clearance to take off. One of them has just taken on a hefty 15,000 gallons of fuel. What unfolds next is the most deadly aviation accident in history.
For a full list of sources see the show notes at timharford.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Do NOT Pass GO! (Classic)
3 januari 2025 · 36 min
Cautionary Tales returns with new episodes on January 10th. Lees meer
Lizzie J. Magie (played by Helena Bonham Carter) should be celebrated as the inventor of what would become Monopoly. But, even though she had a patent, her role in creating the smash hit board game was cynically ignored.
Discrimination has marred the careers of many inventors and excluded others from the innovation economy entirely. Could crediting forgotten figures such as Lizzie Magie help change that?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Demonizing Dungeons & Dragons (Classic)
20 december 2024 · 38 min
When James Dallas Egbert III was reported missing from his college dorm in 1979, one of America's most flamboyant private detectives was summoned to solve the case. "Dallas" faced the same problems as many teenagers, but P.I. William Dear stoked fears that he might have fallen under the evil spell of a mysterious and sinister game: Dungeons & Dragons... Lees meer
Tim Harford returns with brand new episodes of Cautionary Tales on January 10th. In the meantime, Merry Christmas from the Cautionary Tales team!
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.