Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Episodes
Arsenic and Lace: The Trial of the Yorkshire Witch - with Maddy Pelling
The Doors of Death: The Herald of Free Enterprise
Tim Harford recounts the 1987 capsizing of the Herald of Free Enterprise, caused by an assistant bosun who fell asleep with the ferry doors open.
"What a Bloody Mess we're in" - Britain's [REDACTED] Accident
Tim Harford recounts the 1957 Windscale nuclear fire, where worker Tom Toohey bravely extinguished a reactor blaze amidst urgent Cold War pressures.
Attack of the Night People
Tim Harford explores the legacy of radio host Gene Shepard, who pranked listeners by inventing a fake book to expose societal conformity.
LIVE: We Are Not Machines - with Sarah O'Connor
Tim Harford interviews Sarah O’Connor about her book *We Are Not Machines*, exploring how AI and automation are reshaping work.
Treacle Tears: The Boston Molasses Disaster
Tim Harford recounts the 1919 Boston molasses disaster, where a poorly constructed tank burst, killing 21 people.
The Thief, the Jewels, and the Dublin Castle Conspiracy
Tim Harford recounts the 1907 theft of the Irish Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle, focusing on the negligence of custodian Sir Arthur Vickers and the…
The Dunning Canoe-ger Effect
Tim Harford recounts the bizarre true story of John Darwin, who faked his death in a canoe to claim insurance money and lived in hiding for five years.