Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires us to learn more about the world, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves.Get more brainy miscellany with TED Radio Hour+. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/ted
https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510298/ted-radio-hour
#534: The History of Light
On today's show: How we got from dim little candles made out of cow fat, to as much light as we want at the flick of a switch. The history of light explains why the world today is what it is. It explains why we aren't all subsistence farmers, and why we can afford to have artists and massage therapists and plumbers. (And, yes, people who do radio stories about the history of light.) The history of light is the history of economic growth — of things getting faster, cheaper, and more efficient.