Hello, I'm your host James Rogers, and today we're doing things a little different.

We're sharing with you a podcast that we love, and we think that you will, too.

It's called cautionary tales, and it covers the lessons that we learn from the greatest mistakes, the tragic catastrophes,

and the daring heists in history.

Best-selling author, Tim Harford, takes you on a wild ride through the extremes that human behavior and nature can throw at us.

Some stories will delight you, others may scare you, but they'll make you all the wiser.

The episode you're about to hear is about one of the most fascinating game-changing

advancements in war, the Tank.

It was invented in 1917 by a brilliant British officer, but the British Army promptly squandered the idea. They had a pashant for barbed wire, swords and horses,

a more traditional way of being on the battlefield. The Germans on the other hand,

well they were all for the use of the tank and they used a newfangled technology to their full advantage during the Second World War.

Yes, Blitzkrieg, the devastating advance of German tanks across Europe, it was invented by the British.

This is a common story.

Sony invented the forerunner of the iPod, Xerox the personal computer, and Kodak the digital camera.

In each case they failed to capitalize on the idea.

But why?

Well, find out on today's episode of Cautionary Tales.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You can hear more from our friends at Pushkin Industries wherever you get your podcasts.

As the night draws in and the fire blazes on the hear

blazes on the hearth, we warn the children by telling them stories.

The Hobbit teaches them not to leave the path. telling them

stories.

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