Mark Miodownik

Throughout our history, we have transformed the raw produce of the earth into materials that satisfy our needs and desires - fibres for clothes, metals for tools, ceramics for storage, paper for communication - inventions that have in turn transformed the world. In the twenty-first century, we now inhabit a man-made environment of such astonishing ubiquity, variety and sophistication that it rivals, and in many instances seems to defy, nature itself.From the towering skyscrapers of our cities to the most ordinary objects in our homes, from the tea-cup to the jet engine, the silicon chip to the paper clip, the plastic in our appliances to the elastic in our underpants, world-leading materials scientist Mark Miodownik reveals the wonders of this world, the miracles of engineering and ingenuity that permeate every aspect of our lives. Along the way, he introduces metals that can heal themselves, implants that become living bone, the explosive that made the movie business, materials that might one day save the world - and others that already have.Stuff Matters tells the stories and explains the science behind some of the most fascinating and important inventions of our species. Through these stories, it tells in turn the story of mankind's deepest fears and obsessions, our hopes and dreams, as well as our greatest triumphs and achievements.

From the everyday objects in our homes to the most extraordinary new materials that will shape our future, this book reveals the inner workings of the man-made world, the miracles of craft, design, engineering and ingenuity that surround us every day.

By the author of the best-selling, prize-winning Stuff Matters 'A truly delightful read' Jim Al-Khalili, author of Paradox 'Exciting, anarchic and surprising' Katy Guest, The Guardian This fascinating new book by the bestselling scientist and engineer Mark Miodownik is an expert tour of the world of the droplets, heartbeats and ocean waves that we come across every day. Structured around a plane journey which sees encounters with substances from water and glue to coffee and wine, he shows how these liquids can bring death and destruction as well as wonder and fascination. From Laszlo Biro's revolutionary pen and Abraham Gesner's kerosene to cutting-edge research on self-repairing roads and liquid computers, Miodownik uses his winning formula of scientific storytelling to bring the everyday to life. He reveals why liquids can flow up a tree but down a hill, why oil is sticky, how waves can travel so far, and how to make the perfect cup of tea. Here are the secret lives of substances that we rely on but rarely understand. 'An exhilarating, eye-opening ride' Philip Ball, science writer and author of H2O 'A thrilling read, from start to finish' Tim Radford, author of The Consolations of Physics