Economics writer Tim Harford studies complex systems -- and finds a surprising link among the successful ones: they were built through trial and error. In this sparkling talk from TEDGlobal 2011, he asks us to embrace our randomness and start making better mistakes.

Tim Harford: Trial, error and the God complex

Trial, error and the God complex

Embracing trial and error, Archie Cochrane, a POW doctor, discovers Marmite’s role in curing malnutrition with B12, defying wartime despair.

Embracing trial and error transcends industries, proving its efficacy from wartime survival to modern economics and public policy.

Randomized trials, as demonstrated in a WWII camp, show that systematic testing can lead to solutions even under the most dire conditions.