Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

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Latest Episodes:

The Weight of Fame: A Hollywood Tragedy Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Talented and beautiful, Molly O'Day is a rising star in 1920s Hollywood. But when Molly's teenage body starts to change and she can no longer fit into the dress she wore when she was 16, the studio wants nothing to do with her. As the scripts dry up and the money runs out, Molly faces a difficult but painfully familiar choice.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arsenic and Lace: The Trial of the Yorkshire Witch - with Maddy Pelling Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

Mary Bateman lived in Yorkshire in the late 18th Century, an age that prized rational thought. Many people still longed to believe in the old ways and Bateman used this to her advantage, selling spells and enchantments to the desperate. Dr Maddy Pelling, co-host of the After Dark podcast and author of Hoax: Truth and Lies in the Age of Enlightenment, joins Tim to tell the tale of the villainous Yorkshire Witch, and just how far she was willing to go.

For the sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Doors of Death: The Herald of Free Enterprise Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

The Herald of Free Enterprise is a new class of ferry that allows cars to drive directly into the ship. The doors must be closed before every departure, or the ship sails with a gaping hole at one end. One black night in 1987, on the freezing waters off Zebrugge, Belgium, a single crew member falls asleep at the worst possible time.

For the sources, see the show notes at timharford.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"What a Bloody Mess we're in" - Britain's [REDACTED] Accident Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

Windscale is supposed to be Britain's big leap into the nuclear age, bringing science fiction to life in 1950s Northern England. But in the race to catch up with America's nuclear program, scientists are tinkering with forces they don't fully understand. When the reactor catches fire, no-one knows how bad it could be, or how to put it out. As the reactor workers scramble to save lives, other eyes on Windscale are much more concerned with containing the political fallout and burying the truth.

See the show notes at timharford.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Attack of the Night People Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

If you tuned in to late-night WOR radio in 1950s New York, you'd enter the secret world of Jean Shepherd. Shepherd's nonconformist style, off-beat humor and love of pranks gathered a small but loyal following. These "Night People" loved being in on the joke, while the oblivious "Day People" were often the butt of it. Shepherd's show is long gone, but his spirit lives on in corners of the internet. Today, though, Night People go by a different name.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LIVE: We Are Not Machines - with Sarah O'Connor Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

When the Luddites smashed factory frames in a bid to defend their craft and livelihoods, the machines came out on top. Today, AI and automation threaten to wipe out skilled jobs and flood us with inferior products at a fraction of the price: is history going to repeat itself? FT journalist and author of We Are Not Machines Sarah O'Connor joins Tim to discuss her findings from the front lines about the future of work. Which professions are most at risk, and is there anything workers can do about it?

See the show notes at TimHarford.com

Sarah's book, "We Are Not Machines: The Fight for the Future of Work", is available here (UK) and for pre-order here (US).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treacle Tears: The Boston Molasses Disaster Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

The children of North End, Boston, play in the shadow of an enormous steel tank of molasses. The thick, sticky sugar syrup is being used to make munitions for the First World War. When a worker notices dark molasses seeping from the tank he warns the company that there could be a leak. But the man in charge, Arthur Jell, has more important things to worry about: schedules to meet and profits to make. Besides, it's only sugar. How dangerous could it be?

For the sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Thief, the Jewels, and the Dublin Castle Conspiracy Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

In the early 1900s, Sir Arthur Vickers keeps the magnificent Irish Crown Jewels safe under lock and key at Dublin Castle. When the jewels disappear, the King rages, the police investigate, and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gets involved. No one is ever charged and no jewels are ever recovered. Except, we have a very good idea of who took them, and why the truth has stayed buried.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dunning Canoe-ger Effect Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

When John Darwin walks into a shop in London, it causes an instant stir. After all, John Darwin has been dead for five years. He claims to have amnesia, but everyone - from the police and the media to his insurance company - suspects he is lying. No one can prove a thing, until a young woman at home with her baby thinks of something everyone else has missed.

For the show notes, see timharford.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Civilizations Die - with Paul Cooper Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

As Governor of Britannia, Magnus Maximus has a huge army at his disposal, which is just what he needs to secure the Roman imperial throne. But perhaps the impressive general should have looked into the past before focusing on his future. Tim is joined by Paul Cooper, host of Fall of Civilizations Podcast, to explore why powerful civilizations such as the Assyrians, the Han dynasty and the Roman Empire all ultimately collapsed.

Paul Cooper is the author of Fall of Civilizations: Stories of Greatness and Decline. For a full list of show notes, see timharford.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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