Archive - Material World

Does it really matter if we can't produce "virgin steel" anymore?

In short, not half as much as people might have you believe. But that doesn't mean there aren't some real problems with Britain's plans to ditch all its…

Jun 30

May 2024

Lost Materials #1: Malachite

For all our fears about running out of certain substances, the list of materials humankind has actually exhausted is surprisingly small - or at least, I…

May 31

The Unbearable Lightness of Productivity

What a visit to a magnet factory in Oxfordshire teaches you about the state of the world, the race for minerals and the obscure processes happening all…

May 14

The Most Important Chart in the World

Finally we're starting to put figures on how much other countries are helping their industries. Now let's start discussing what to do about it.

May 7

The Race for Copper Hots Up

One unintended victim may be one of the biggest mining projects in British history

May 2

April 2024

How not to use your time as an energy superpower

Some countries use their energy riches to invest for the future and support the next generation. Then there's what Britain did.

Apr 15

No, Elon Musk is not our Henry Ford

The 21st Century's Henry Ford is someone you've probably never heard of. And that raises some other, even more interesting, issues...

Apr 9

The Original "White Gold"

Why salt is just as relevant for the 21st century world as it was for our ancestors

Apr 1

March 2024

Latest from the Material World

A brief update...

Mar 29

January 2024

Further Reading

Some recommendations for those who want to burrow deeper into the Material World

Jan 30

December 2023

In the coming years we will dig and blast more stuff from the earth's surface than ever before. "Peak stuff" won't be with us for some time...

Dec 22, 2023

This isn’t just about fossil fuels. It’s about something MUCH bigger

If you think the debate on ending fossil fuels is simple, try for a moment to see how this all looks to poorer nations

Dec 11, 2023

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