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.

  1. 2021-07-22

    Introducing: Season 2 of 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter

    How animals make us smarter – we thought you might like to hear our brand new episode. It’s about a robotic arm inspired by an elephant’s trunk. For more, search for 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter wherever you get your podcasts. #30Animals

    18 min

  2. 2020-03-09

    Introducing 13 Minutes to the Moon Season 2

    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. #13MinutestotheMoon

    4 min

  3. 2020-03-02

    Gutenberg press

    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 arguments to spread further and faster than ever before. So why did he struggle to make money from it?

    10 min

  4. 2020-02-24

    Slot machines

    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 people pull themselves away? Tim Harford looks under the spinning wheels and flashing lights to see what these devices reveal about the business of addiction.

    10 min

  5. 2020-02-17

    Chess algorithms

    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 explains by delving into the history of algorithms. They've been used by mathematicians and scientists for millennia, but have acquired a new level of power and importance in the digital age.

    10 min

  6. 2020-02-10

    Auctions

    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 underpinning the success of some of the internet's most powerful brands.

    10 min

  7. 2020-02-03

    Dams

    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 the world for many, but led to catastrophe for others.

    10 min

  8. 2020-01-27

    Tulips

    In the 1630s, the Netherlands experienced 'tulip mania' - a surge in demand for tulips from wealthy buyers, with some individual bulbs costing twenty times more than a carpenter's annual salary. Then, in February 1637, the price suddenly crashed. It's often cited as the first great financial bubble, but is that really the case? Tim Harford tries to sort fact from fiction.

    10 min
Visa alla (110)

Trailrar

Värdar och gäster

4,6
av 5
36 betyg

Om

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

Information

  • Skapad av
    BBC World Service
  • Aktiva år
    2016 - 2021
  • Avsnitt
    110
  • Åldersgräns
    Barnvänligt
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2021
  • Programmets webbplats
    50 Things That Made the Modern Economy
  • Leverantör

Mer från BBC

Du kanske också gillar