Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Comrade Lysenko has seized control of Soviet agriculture with his radical ideas about genetics. He disdains traditional scientists who learn everything from books and nothing from the land, and those who question his methods soon find themselves in trouble with Stalin. Across the world, the abrasive Iowan farmer's son Norman Borlaug is also annoying experts with his big ideas. Both men are sure they can end starvation, but their approaches couldn't be more different.

See the show notes at timharford.com

Click here for details on how to preorder Tim's new book, The Measure of Everything: How Numbers Shape Us.

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For this special crossover episode, Tim is joined by the one and only Roman Mars to discuss his new series, A History Of The United States In 100 Objects. From a safe that stayed locked away for a century to a well-intentioned milk carton that terrified a nation, each item reveals a fascinating piece of American history - and comes with its very own cautionary tale.

Listen to A History Of The United States In 100 Objects on the 99% Invisible feed, or on BBC Sounds.

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In the late 1970s, Yorkshire miner Chris Campbell sees something that terrifies him. The spirit of a miner who died in a collapse is calling to him. Is the ghostly figure a waking dream, a trick of the light, or something we should take altogether more seriously?  

For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

Cautionary Tales is celebrating Halloween with a full month of paranormal themed episodes. If you have a spooky story or a skeptical question, get in touch at [email protected]. If you want access to an extra Halloween episode about the strange world of radio telepathy, alongside plenty of other benefits, check out the Cautionary Club on Patreon.

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This episode comes to you from Unexplained, the podcast that explores mysterious and haunting true stories.

In 2009, during the war in Afghanistan, eight marines are tasked with occupying an isolated outpost known as The Rock. For those marines, the war is going to become stranger than any of them could have imagined.

Unexplained is available wherever you get your podcasts.

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In 1612, a young woman encounters a pedlar in the British countryside. A seemingly trivial quarrel spirals into chaos when the pedlar is struck down by an unknown force, leading to one of Britain's most notorious witch trials.

Justice for Witches Campaign: https://charlottemeredith.co.uk/the-campaign/

For a full list of sources see the show notes at timharford.com

Cautionary Tales is celebrating Halloween with a full month of paranormal themed episodes. If you have a spooky story or a skeptical question, get in touch at [email protected]. If you want access to an extra Halloween episode about the strange world of radio telepathy, alongside plenty of other benefits, check out the Cautionary Club on Patreon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1800s America, something terrifying is feeding on the quiet town of Exeter. As members of George Brown's family succumb one by one, the town considers drastic measures to protect the living from the dead.

For a list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

Cautionary Tales is celebrating Halloween with a full month of paranormal themed episodes. If you have a spooky story or a skeptical question, get in touch at [email protected]. If you want access to an extra Halloween episode about the strange world of radio telepathy, alongside plenty of other benefits, check out the Cautionary Club on Patreon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1980s Southern England, intricate crop circles are appearing overnight, and people are desperate for an explanation. Could humans really create something so complex without anyone spotting them? The truth is out there! Actually, the truth is right here. The problem is getting people to believe it.

For a list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

Cautionary Tales is celebrating Halloween with a full month of paranormal themed episodes! If you have a spooky story or a skeptical question, get in touch at [email protected]. If you want access to an extra Halloween episode - about the strange world of radio telepathy - alongside plenty of other benefits, check out the Cautionary Club on Patreon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This October, Cautionary Tales is going all out for Halloween. We've got four brand new spooky episodes coming your way throughout the month, plus a fifth over on the Cautionary Club on Patreon.

If you have your own Halloween-themed Cautionary Tale or have any questions about belief and the paranormal we'd love to hear from you - contact [email protected]

To begin the month, we're revisiting one of our favourite episodes, about the grizzly fates of the archaeologists who disturbed the resting place of Tutankhamun.

For a list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

To join the Cautionary Club head to Patreon.com/cautionaryclub

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Before he became Muhammad Ali, Cassius Clay was known as the "Louisville Loud-mouth", as famous for his sharp taunts and poetic put-downs as he was for his skills in the ring. In 1963, Clay arrived in England to take down beloved British Heavyweight, Henry Cooper. Clay is the clear favourite, but the showdown will be remembered as one of boxing history's most shocking battles, changing both men forever and showing what it really means to win. 

For a list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

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Last week, Cautionary Tales described the rise and fall of General Magic, the startup with too much money and too few constraints. Was General Magic really doomed from the start, and what does its fate tell us about AI, drug discovery and our love lives? David Epstein, author of Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, joins Tim to make the case for loving limitations.

For a list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

Join our Cautionary Club to get episodes ad-free, hear bonus interviews and get an extra Cautionary Tale every month.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.