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50 Things That Made the Modern Economy - Diesel Engine

Rudolf Diesel died in mysterious circumstances before he was able to capitalise on his extraordinary invention: the eponymous engine that powers much of the world today. Before Diesel invented his engine in 1892, as Tim Harford explains, the industrial landscape was very different. Urban transport depended on horses and steam supplied power for trains and factories. Incredibly, Diesel’s first attempt at a working engine was more than twice as efficient as other engines which ran on petrol and gas, and he continued to improve it. Indeed, it wasn’t long before it became the backbone of the industrial revolution; used in trains, power stations, factories and container ships. Producer: Ben Crighton Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon (Image: Stamp depicting Rudolf Diesel, Credit: Boris15/Shutterstock)
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the memory palace - Episode 98 (Under Our Feet)

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows.

Notes * This episode came by special request from my daughter, who heard about Waterhouse Hawkins in her second grade classroom. She came home and said, “Dad, I think I’ve got a good Memory Palace story for you.” * She and I found a great kids book called The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, by Barbara Kerley. * Grownup readers might want to check out All in the Bones by Valerie Bramwell and Robert Peek.

Music * We start off and finish with Kola, Lighthouse Version by amiina. * We hear their Leather and Lace as well. * There’s Mountain Path, by WMD. * We hear Prelude for Piano and Malaria by Worrytrain. * We also hear Manny Returns Home from Bernard Hermann’s score to The Wrong Man. * And Krolock on Sledge from the fantastic score to The Fearless Vampire Killers.