Stuff Matters

A wonderful look into the history and use of modern materials that has shaped human civilization. Miodownik, a materials sciences & society professor starts by showing us a picture of him relaxing on the roof of his London home and then proceeds to dissect various materials in the picture by its origins, history, and its place in our world. Materials that we take for granted like paper, glass, steel, etc. have complex histories and its manufacture has been perfected over time and still continues to be.

Ever wonder why we do not taste the metal when you eat food with a stainless steel spoon? Of the ninety-four different types of atoms that naturally exist in our world, only eight make up 98.8 percent of the mass of earth leaving us with limited options to play with yet, as Miodownik shows us, we have managed to come up with nifty inventions. Whoever thought that by varying temperatures of fire we can drastically alter the nature of materials was a genius. The chapter on concrete was especially enlightening for me given my architecture background but it's impact on modern structures in the past hundred years cannot be understated.

It's a very short read at 228 pages and each chapter stands independent of the others. Highly recommend.