Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

The Treasure Hunt that Broke America (Part 1)

Forrest Fenn never does things the regular way. Despite no formal training and little knowledge of art, he becomes a millionaire gallery owner. An outsider by nature, Fenn’s charm, audacity, and disregard for convention earns him both wealth and respect. When a streak of bad luck threatens to destroy his empire, Fenn dreams up an audacious final act. He'll mastermind the greatest treasure hunt America has ever known. As the legend spreads, and gold fever grips the nation, Fenn begins to lose control. The story of Forrest Fenn's treasure hunt will continue next week. This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123 Read more about Tim's work at http://timharford.com/ [http://timharford.com/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Truth About Hansel and Gretel (Classic)

Was the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel - the story of a woodcutter’s children abandoned in the woods and left at the mercy of a witch - in fact, early true crime? A hit book - The Truth About Hansel and Gretel - said that historical records pointed to the story being based on fact. Are we too quick to dismiss the truth behind tall stories? Or are we always falling for tales that are too good to be true? This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123 Read more about Tim's work at http://timharford.com/ [http://timharford.com/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

On Fire from the Inside - Lethal Injection Up Close with Malcolm Gladwell

Last week, Cautionary Tales told the tragic story of Derek Bentley, exploring Britain's troubled relationship with capital punishment. Across the Atlantic, Revisionist History has also been scrutinizing what it means for a state to try to execute a person. For this bonus episode, Malcolm Gladwell joins Tim Harford to discuss his new series The Alabama Murders, and to confront the disturbing truth behind the death penalty in America today. Hear Revisionist History: The Alabama Murders [https://lnk.to/CTinterview] wherever you get podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Derek Bentley Must Hang

An amateurish burglary in 1950s London ends in murder. One of the men involved is a 19-year-old named Derek Bentley. Bentley has the understanding of a child - and he wasn't the killer. But the British justice system seems determined to deliver the death penalty. The fate of capital punishment lies in the balance, and so too does the fate of Derek Bentley. For a full list of show notes go to timharford.com [https://timharford.com/], and to join our new Patreon, go to patreon.com/cautionaryclub [https://www.patreon.com/cw/CautionaryClub].  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Canal, the Crash and the Ketamine - Pushkin's Reign of Error

In 1983, a plane takes off from Ottawa with less than half the required fuel on board. As the engines cut out one by one, the pilot is left with a ticking clock and an impossible task. But what does a tale of an unusual plane crash have in common with one about a disappearing canal? For this special episode, Tim is joined by colleagues from across Pushkin's podcast network. Heavyweight's Jonathan Goldstein stops by to muse on the cost of mistakes and whether we're really in control of how many we make. Plus, Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova from the podcast Risky Business give a gambler's take on the strange science of regret. Heavyweight [https://lnk.to/HWMistakes] and Risky Business [http://lnk.to/RBMistakes] are available wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.