A pint might be Britain’s most beloved measurement. But what’s the name for the distance a reindeer can walk before it needs to pee?

The way we measure things changes the way we see the world. Measurements have shaped our history and are bound up in ideas of statehood, power and control.

“Measurement is as important to human civilization as language or mathematics.”

That’s the view of today’s guest James Vincent, journalist and author of Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement.

The episode was produced by Emily Whalley

The senior producer is Charlotte Long

Edited by Freddy Chick

For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!