Secret History Of The Future: A Clock in the Sky

In 1714, British parliament offered a huge cash prize to anyone who could find a way to determine longitude at sea. And it worked, sort of ... several decades later. Are modern contests (DARPA challenges, the X Prize) offering riches and glory an effective way to spur technological innovation? Guests include: Dava Sobel, author of Longitude. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Trailblazers, a podcast series from Dell and Walter Isaacson. Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.