Stuff Matters

Exploring the Marvelous Materials that Shape Our Man-made World

Mark Miodownik

Genre

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

"Stuff Matters" by Mark Miodownik explores the fascinating world of materials and their impact on our lives. From the steel in buildings to the glass in our smartphones, Miodownik takes readers on a journey through the everyday objects that shape our world.

Delving into the science and history behind various materials, Miodownik reveals the incredible stories that lie beneath their surfaces. He explains how Steel, for instance, enabled the Industrial Revolution, transforming society and paving the way for modern architecture.

Using his expertise as a materials scientist, Miodownik discusses glass and its connection to our desire for transparency, from medieval stained glass windows to modern fiber-optic cables. He explores why concrete, although often overlooked, is the most widely used man-made material on the planet and how it has shaped our urban landscapes.

From ceramics to chocolate, Miodownik highlights the unexpected utility and significance of materials that we might take for granted. He examines how the discovery of plastic revolutionized manufacturing, but also created an environmental crisis.

In "Stuff Matters," Miodownik presents complex scientific concepts in an accessible and engaging manner, weaving together personal anecdotes and historical insights. He shares his passion for materials, showing readers how these substances define our lives and continue to shape our future.

Throughout the book, Miodownik encourages readers to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the materials that surround us, prompting a newfound curiosity about the objects we interact with every day. A captivating blend of science, history, and personal storytelling, "Stuff Matters" conveys the profound significance of seemingly ordinary materials and illuminates the world with fresh insight.

Explore More Books

See All
Euclid's Elements
The Case Against Sugar
Fables
Flowers for Algernon
For The Love Of Physics
The Humane Economy
Memoirs
The Great Mental Models
Think and Grow Rich
History Has Begun
The Story of Civilization: Rousseau and Revolution
The Social Animal
The Worlds I See
Mismatch
The E-Myth Revisited
Citizen Coke
Last Chance to See
The World Without Us
A Confederacy of Dunces
It's Not How Good You Are - It's How Good You Want To Be
Pre-Suasion
The Art of Stillness
What We Owe the Future
Maverick
Letters to a Young Poet
You
Black Box Thinking
Being Nixon
The Black Book of Communism
In Patagonia
Deep Learning
Economics in One Lesson
Monetizing Innovation
Deep Learning
The Dream of Reason
Why Minsky Matters
Everything All At Once
Gay Like Me
Benjamin Franklin
Why Information Grows
The Sympathizer
Home Game
Dancing In The Glory Of Monsters
Go To
The Water Dancer
The Myth of the Strong Leader
Where Do School Funds Go?
So Good They Can't Ignore You
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Best Evidence
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
Gang Leader for a Day
Gridiron Genius
T
Who Am I
Shook One
Letters of Note
Algorithms to Live By
The Psychology of Money
The Quest for El Cid
This Explains Everything
Spain in Our Hearts
Night Sky with Exit Wounds
Apollo's Arrow
Bitcoin
Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It
The Great Revolt
Unstoppable Prosperity
A Pattern Language
Red Star Over The Pacific
Collected Fictions
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting
Life After Power
Who Is Michael Ovitz
On Immunity
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
Let Your Life Speak
The End of Power
Secrets of Closing the Sale
Lincoln In The Bardo
Chaos
Well
How to Teach Your Baby Math
Dead Wake
What Technology Wants
A Universe From Nothing
Fall of Constantinople
Simple Rules
The New Jim Crow
A Very Expensive Poison
Never Eat Alone
Hold 'em Poker
Born To Run
Devouring Freedom
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The War of Art
René Girard's Mimetic Theory
Radical Son
How To Be a No Limit Person
On Drugs