Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials that Shape Our Manmade World
“If you’re facing a joint replacement, grieving the end of the printed newspaper, ever wondered why some metals bend and others don’t, why razor blades dull, or why the cubic crystal structure of carbon says, “I love you,” better than any other material, read this book.”
“For one blissful moment you will be in thrall to the most deliciously engineered material on earth.”
If you use the terms concrete and cement interchangeably, then this entertaining and informative book on such everyday items as paper, glass, steel, chocolate, and concrete is for you.
Mark Miodownik, a professor of materials and society at University College in London, goes beyond describing the physics and engineering (in terms any reader can comprehend) to philosophize on the effect each item has had on society and civilization. Take concrete.
Those who can construct buildings and dwellings from this marvelous material are rewarded with shelters that can withstand wind, rain, heat, cold, and earthquakes. (Miodownik titles this chapter, Fundamental.) With their basic needs taken care of, the lucky residents of a concrete world can participate in higher order activities such as art, recreation, and government. The Romans used a form of rudimentary concrete and look how far they got. Now consider the plight of Third World inhabitants such as Haitians.
“If you can build the mold,” he writes, “you can create the structure.” Concrete, which can be poured (as opposed to other sturdy building materials like brick or stone that have to be placed by hand) allowed the Romans to construct bridges, aquaducts, and the dome of the Pantheon. “To build a stable defense against the elements and those who would oppress you requires a material that is not just strong but also fire-, storm-, and waterproof, and, crucially, cheap enough for everyone in the world to afford it,” Miodownik goes on to say. Whether concrete will ever be aesthetically pleasing enough for people to want to live in it is another question, and one even Miodownik can’t answer.
With chapter headings like Delicious, Marvelous, Trusted, and Indomitable, it’s clear how the author feels about his highlighted materials. His admiration, enthusiasm, and sense of humor supply the necessary spoonful of sugar (a carbohydrate comprised of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, in case you’ve forgotten) to help the reader digest his occasionally dense and lengthy descriptions of molecular structures and chemical reactions, such as how aerogels (“the lightest solid in the world”) are formed, and why glass is transparent.
The one notable miss in the book is Miodownik’s chapter on plastic, which he chose to write in the form of a screenplay. Even he seemed to question this choice, as he prefaces the chapter with an apology. His little vignette on the origin of the billiard ball is entertaining, but also confusing and expository.
What makes this book a page-turner is the relevance of the subject matter. (Except aerogels, which have yet to find their rightful place in the world.)
Are you familiar with the Maillard reaction? Without it, Miodownik asserts, “the world would be a much less delicious place.” The Maillard reaction is (among other things) what turns a bitter cocoa bean into chocolate. (Origin: chocolatl, meaning bitter water.) Knowing the first step in the chocolate-making process might dampen your enthusiasm for chocolate slightly (it involves piling cocoa beans in the sun to rot) but in the end, a deeper understanding of how bitter water comes to be the melt-in-your-mouth, better-than-sex marvelous stuff we eat today will almost certainly enhance it.
If you’re facing a joint replacement, grieving the end of the printed newspaper, ever wondered why some metals bend and others don’t, why razor blades dull, or why the cubic crystal structure of carbon says, “I love you,” better than any other material, read this book.