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Humanity's taming of fire may be where the story of economics really begins, some argue. Tim Harford explores how fire has shaped our world and our minds, and why it's still got some important lessons to teach us.

Available now

10 minutes

Last on

Mon 12 Aug 2019 03:50GMT

Sources

Fire on Earth - an introduction. Andrew C. Scott, David M. J. S. Bowman, William J. Bond, Stephen J. Pyne, Martin E. Alexander, Wiley Blackwell 2014

Burning Planet: The Story of Fire Through Time - Andrew C. Scott, Oxford University Press 2018

Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human - Richard Wrangham, Profile Books 2009

Foolproof: Why Safety Can Be Dangerous and How Danger Makes Us Safe - Greg Ip, Hachette UK 2015

Broadcasts

  • Sat 10 Aug 2019 04:50GMT
  • Sat 10 Aug 2019 13:50GMT
  • Sun 11 Aug 2019 14:50GMT
  • Sun 11 Aug 2019 21:50GMT
  • Sun 11 Aug 2019 22:50GMT
  • Mon 12 Aug 2019 03:50GMT

Podcast