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Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Podcasts · History

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

194 episodes · 12 with AI analysis

AI Intelligence · across all analyzed episodes

Topics · top 10

Coordination games and focal points in decision-makingCommunication breakdown in remote expeditionsProject management failures and cascading errorsIndigenous knowledge systems and colonial dismissalGame theory applications to real-world scenariosScurvy prevention and vitamin C deficiencyAustralian exploration historyDecision-making under uncertaintyContingency planning failuresInterpersonal conflict in leadership

Analyzed Episodes

Apr 10, 2026

The Lovestruck Explorer's Deadly Guessing Game

Coordination games and focal points in decision-makingCommunication breakdown in remote expeditionsProject management failures and cascading errors
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Mar 27, 2026

The Sightseeing Flight and the Invisible Mountain

Aviation accident investigation methodologyOrganizational accountability and cover-upsCognitive biases in high-stakes decision-making
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Jan 23, 2026

The WOW Machine Stops (Pt 2)

Startup Financial Management and Unit EconomicsCommunity Building and Social ConnectionHappiness Economics and Psychological Well-being
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Mar 13, 2026

"And it went click" - Dawn of the Working Dead

Office furniture design and workspace ergonomicsWorkplace surveillance and monitoring technologyKnowledge worker productivity and autonomy
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Mar 20, 2026

Presenting: Drug Story - On Xanax and Anxiety

Benzodiazepine Dependency and Withdrawal SyndromeXanax (Alprazolam) Abuse and CounterfeitingAnxiety Disorder Diagnosis and Classification
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Jan 30, 2026

Powered by Orgasm: The Rise and Fall of a Sex Cult - with Ellen Huet

Cult Dynamics and Psychological CoercionForced Labor Conspiracy ProsecutionWellness Industry Predatory Practices
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Mar 6, 2026

Explosives or Sugar? The Deadly Art of Distraction in Putin’s Russia - with Helena Merriman

Russian apartment bombings of 1999 and Ryazan incidentVladimir Putin's rise to power and early presidencyFSB (Russian Federal Security Service) involvement allegations
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Feb 6, 2026

The Angels, The Stones and The Dead

Hell's Angels motorcycle gang history and organizational structureDesirability bias in decision-making and belief formation1960s counterculture and its relationship with outlaw motorcycle clubs
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Feb 13, 2026

Sphygmograph Be Damned: The Science of Love

Online dating algorithms and their limitationsAlgorithmic matching and compatibility predictionDating app business models and subscription revenue
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Feb 17, 2026

Presenting... American Criminal: The Great McDonald's Monopoly Heist

McDonald's Monopoly Promotional CampaignInsider Fraud and Security VulnerabilitiesFast-Food Marketing and Gamification
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Feb 20, 2026

The Philosopher and the Handyman: The Race Around the World - Part 1

Maintenance strategy and preventive careSystem simplification vs. capability trade-offsPreparation and resource planning for long-duration projects
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Feb 27, 2026

Flight of the Fantasist: The Race Around the World - Part 2

Entrepreneurial fraud and deception in competitive marketsSocial performance theory and self-presentation in businessMental health in high-stakes competitive environments
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