Cautionary Tales

Cautionary Tales

Latest Episodes

Cautionary Tales Presents: Brave New Planet

October 12, 2020 - 1:13:17
Introducing Brave New Planet, a seven-part series that delves deep into powerful technologies changing our world. They have amazing...

Cautionary Tales Presents: Brave New Planet

October 12, 2020 - 1:13:17
Introducing Brave New Planet, a seven-part series that delves deep into powerful technologies changing our world. They have amazing...

BONUS: Storks, Smoking and the Power of Doubt

September 16, 2020 - 10:05
It's easy to mock statistics or cast doubt on them... but we do so at our peril. Undermining our trust in facts and figures can cause...

About The Show

We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “Messy” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They'll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser.

More Episodes

Cautionary Tales Presents: Brave New Planet

October 12, 2020 - 1:13:17
Introducing Brave New Planet, a seven-part series that delves deep into powerful technologies changing our world. They have amazing...

Cautionary Tales Presents: Brave New Planet

October 12, 2020 - 1:13:17
Introducing Brave New Planet, a seven-part series that delves deep into powerful technologies changing our world. They have amazing...

BONUS: Storks, Smoking and the Power of Doubt

September 16, 2020 - 10:05
It's easy to mock statistics or cast doubt on them... but we do so at our peril. Undermining our trust in facts and figures can cause...

How To End A Pandemic

July 17, 2020 - 24:56
The eradication of smallpox is one of humanity's great achievements - but the battle against the virus was fought by the most unlikely...

How To End A Pandemic

July 17, 2020 - 24:56
The eradication of smallpox is one of humanity's great achievements - but the battle against the virus was fought by the most unlikely...

That Turn To Pascagoula

July 10, 2020 - 24:07
For years, people had warned that New Orleans was vulnerable - but when a hurricane came close to destroying the city, the reaction was...