Cautionary Tales South Pole Race: David and Goliath on Ice

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1910: Two men are racing to be the first to reach the South Pole.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott heads a well-financed, technologically-advanced expedition – aiming to reach the pole in the “proper” and heroic way… on foot. Roald Amundsen’s effort is more modest, relying on cheap sled dogs to carry him to victory.

Scott – for all his money, for all his fancy equipment, for all his backing from the mighty Royal Navy – is doomed to failure in the icy wastes of Antarctica. Why?

The Host

Tim Harford

Tim Harford’s long-running column in the Financial Times, “The Undercover Economist,” reveals the economic ideas behind everyday experiences. His first book, The Undercover Economist, was published in 30 languages and sold…