Wardian case - a podcast by BBC World Service

Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward's miniature greenhouses made it far easier to successfully transport plants, spreading them far beyond their native lands. But that led to major consequences that Ward hadn't foreseen. Tim Harford tells the story of how glass boxes became powerful weapons in the hands of British colonisers.

Further episodes of 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy

Further podcasts by BBC World Service

Website of BBC World Service