Episode details

Sounds,17 Jul 2026,39 mins,
"What a mess we're in" - Britain's [REDACTED] Accident
Cautionary Tales with Tim HarfordContains some strong language.
Available for over a year
Windscale is supposed to be Britain's big leap into the nuclear age, bringing science fiction to life in 1950s Northern England. But in the race to catch up with America's nuclear program, scientists are tinkering with forces they don't fully understand. When the reactor catches fire, no-one knows how bad it could be, or how to put it out. As the reactor workers scramble to save lives, other eyes on Windscale are much more concerned with containing the political fallout and burying the truth. See the show notes at timharford.com.
Programme Website