Kentucky Fried Chicken in the United Kingdom recently ran so low on chicken that it had to close nearly half of their 900 outlets. The snafu, though quickly remedied, sparked outrage among British customers–some of whom called the police to demand government action. The response revealed our dependence on the bird–and offers a chance to understand just how the modern world came to run on chicken. Listen to this BBC essay by Andrew Lawler on how it all began…