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The extra “thing” – what should it be? Shortlist: the credit card, glass, GPS, irrigation, the pencil and the spreadsheet. Voting for the 51st Thing has now closed.
The extra “thing” – what should it be? Shortlist: the credit card, glass, GPS, irrigation, the pencil and the spreadsheet. Voting for the 51st Thing has now closed. The winning “thing” will be revealed on Saturday 28 October 2017.
Producer: Ben Crighton
Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon
(Image: Montage of pencil, credit card, glass, spreadsheet, GPS, irrigation, Credit: Getty Images/Shutterstock)
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Sources and related links
Wikipedia - Global Positioning System
Priceonomics - How credit cards tax America
Tim Harford - Do you believe in sharing?
Tim Harford - The lessons hat flow from Bali's water temples
'I,Pencil: My family tree as told to Leonard E. Read'
Harper's magazine - A spreadsheet way of knowledge
Planet Money - The Economy Explained - Episode 606: Spreadsheets
Broadcasts
- Sat 23 Sep 201702:50GMTBBC World Service except Online, Australasia, News Internet & UK DAB/Freeview
- Sat 23 Sep 201719:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Mon 25 Sep 201703:50GMTBBC World Service UK DAB/Freeview & Online only
Podcast
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50 Things That Made the Modern Economy
The stories of inventions, ideas and innovations which helped create the economic world

