Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

True stories of human error, catastrophes and fiascos with lessons for adults AI summary

Pushkin Industries Visit website › History · EN · 238 episodes · latest 2026-11-13

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What it is about

We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable 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 “The Data Detective”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, and hilarious fiascos. They'll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. New episodes every Friday.

Publisher’s own description, taken unchanged from the podcast feed.
2026 2025 Pushkin Industries

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Latest episodes

Bravo, Comrade Lysenko! The Man who Failed to Feed the USSR

2026-11-13 · 44 min · Season 7, episode 46

Comrade Lysenko has seized control of Soviet agriculture with his radical ideas about genetics. He disdains traditional scientists who learn everything from books and nothing from the land, and those who question his…
Why Milk Cartons "Scared the Bejesus Out of a Generation" - with Roman Mars

2026-11-06 · 39 min · Season 7, episode 45

For this special crossover episode, Tim is joined by the one and only Roman Mars to discuss his new series, A History Of The United States In 100 Objects. From a safe that stayed locked away for a century to a…
Why Miners See Ghosts | Halloween Season

2026-10-30 · 38 min · Season 7, episode 44

In the late 1970s, Yorkshire miner Chris Campbell sees something that terrifies him. The spirit of a miner who died in a collapse is calling to him. Is the ghostly figure a waking dream, a trick of the light, or…
Introducing... Unexplained: Lying in Wait

2026-10-27 · 35 min

This episode comes to you from Unexplained, the podcast that explores mysterious and haunting true stories. In 2009, during the war in Afghanistan, eight marines are tasked with occupying an isolated outpost known as…
The Pedlar and the Witch | Halloween Season

2026-10-23 · 39 min · Season 7, episode 43

In 1612, a young woman encounters a pedlar in the British countryside. A seemingly trivial quarrel spirals into chaos when the pedlar is struck down by an unknown force, leading to one of Britain's most notorious witch…
A Tale of Blood and Ashes: The Exeter Vampires | Halloween Season

2026-10-16 · 38 min · Season 7, episode 42

In 1800s America, something terrifying is feeding on the quiet town of Exeter. As members of George Brown's family succumb one by one, the town considers drastic measures to protect the living from the dead. For a list…
When Aliens Landed in Wiltshire | Halloween Season

2026-10-09 · 38 min · Season 7, episode 41

In 1980s Southern England, intricate crop circles are appearing overnight, and people are desperate for an explanation. Could humans really create something so complex without anyone spotting them? The truth is out…
The Mummy's Curse (Halloween Classic)

2026-10-02 · 38 min · Season 7, episode 40

This October, Cautionary Tales is going all out for Halloween. We've got four brand new spooky episodes coming your way throughout the month, plus a fifth over on the Cautionary Club on Patreon. If you have your own…
When Muhammad Ali Met Henry’s Hammer

2026-09-25 · 41 min · Season 7, episode 39

Before he became Muhammad Ali, Cassius Clay was known as the "Louisville Loud-mouth", as famous for his sharp taunts and poetic put-downs as he was for his skills in the ring. In 1963, Clay arrived in England to take…
How a Broken Arm Improved my French - with David Epstein

2026-09-18 · 43 min · Season 7, episode 38

Last week, Cautionary Tales described the rise and fall of General Magic, the startup with too much money and too few constraints. Was General Magic really doomed from the start, and what does its fate tell us about AI,…

Episode details from the publisher’s feed. Playback happens at the publisher.

Publisher details

Oldest episode in feed: 10/2019 · over 7 years
Typical length: 37 min
Format: Episodic Newest first, episodes stand alone

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