50 Things That Made the Modern Economy - Clock

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There’s no such thing as “the correct time”. Like the value of money, it’s a convention that derives its usefulness from the widespread acceptance of others. But there is such a thing as accurate timekeeping. That dates from 1656, and a Dutchman named Christiaan Huygens. In the centuries since, as Tim Harford explains, the clock has become utterly essential to almost every area of the modern economy.

Producer: Ben Crighton
Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon

(Image: A wall clock. Credit: Shutterstock)

Published on Saturday, 18th February 2017.

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