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50 Things That Made the Modern Economy

BBC World Service

Tim Harford tells the fascinating stories of inventions, ideas and innovations which have helped create the economic world.

Episodes

Introducing 13 Minutes to the Moon Season 2

Mar 9 2020 • 0 MIN

Jump on-board a doomed mission to the Moon. Apollo 13: the extraordinary story, told by the people who flew it and saved it. Search for 13 Minutes to the Moon wherever you get your podcasts. #13...

Gutenberg press

Mar 2 2020 • 0 MIN

Johannes Gutenberg's printing press changed the course of human history. It created a new way of doing business, drastically reduced the cost and speed of making books, and enabled texts, ideas and...

Slot machines

Feb 24 2020 • 0 MIN

First developed by a toy company in the 1890s, slot machines have become one of the most profitable tools of the gambling trade - but many who play them say winning isn't the point. So why can't pe...

Chess algorithms

Feb 17 2020 • 0 MIN

In 1997, Garry Kasparov, widely regarded as the world's greatest chess player, was defeated by Deep Blue, a computer. But how much did that reveal about the 'brainpower' of machines? Tim Harford ex...

Auctions

Feb 10 2020 • 0 MIN

Are things only worth what people are willing to pay for them? Tim Harford explains why a method of buying and selling that originated in ancient times has endured to the present day, and is now un...

Dams

Feb 3 2020 • 0 MIN

From reliable water supplies to large-scale electricity generation, the benefits brought by dams can be huge. But so can the problems. Tim Harford explains how these massive structures have changed...