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Episode details

Sounds,02 Jan 2026,33 mins

Frankenstein Versus the Volcano

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Available for over a year

When Mount Tambora erupted it spewed ash across the globe; blotting out the sun; poisoning crops; and bringing starvation, illness and death to millions. It may also have helped inspire great scientific and cultural advances - including the horror masterpiece Frankenstein. How well do we adapt to catastrophe and what are the limits of our ability to weather even the worst circumstances?

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