Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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.

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.

It's 1990. A new company called General Magic is going to build its vision of the future: the smart phone. They have talent, almost unlimited cash, and a 15 year head start on the iPhone. What could go wrong? 

This episode was based, with permission, on David Epstein's book Inside the Box: How Constraints Make us Better. For a list of sources, see the show notes.

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.

Evel Knievel, the world-famous daredevil, is planning his greatest ever stunt. In 1974, he wants to leap over Snake River Canyon in Idaho. The chasm is almost a third of a mile wide, much bigger than any jump he's done before. To make it work, he'll need a custom-made rocket-powered "Skycycle," TV camera crews and - most importantly - a very positive attitude. 

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.

In 1942, eight men are sent from Nazi Germany to infiltrate America. Their mission: to sabotage critical infrastructure. Their problem: they're idiots. Operation Pastorius soon devolves into one of the most baffling failures of World War II.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a special crossover episode with Business History.

John DeLorean was a visionary who wanted to create a futuristic new sports car - a stainless steel marvel with distinctive gull-wing doors. The British Government agreed to finance the project, provided he built his factory in a troubled part of Northern Ireland. Production stumbled, sales fizzled and DeLorean liked to fiddle with the numbers. As the company approached ruin, a neighbour offered DeLorean a lifeline, if he'd only come in on a cocaine deal.  

See the show notes at timharford.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.