Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World (original 2013; edition 2014)

by Michael Page

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"Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does a paperclip bend? Why does any material look and behave the way it does?With clarity and humor, world-leading materials scientist Mark Miodownik answers all the questions you've ever had about your pens, spoons, and razor blades, while also introducing a whole world full of materials you've never even heard of: the diamond five times the size of Earth; concrete cloth that can be molded into any shape; and graphene, the thinnest, strongest, stiffest material in existence--only a single atom thick.Stuff Matters tells enthralling stories that explain the science and history of materials. From the teacup to the jet engine, the silicon chip to the paper clip, the plastic in our appliances to the elastic in our underpants, Miodownik reveals the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives. As engaging as it is incisive, Stuff Matters will make you see the materials that surround you with new eyes"--… (more)

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Member:	LisCarey
Title:	Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World
Authors:	Michael Page
Info:	Tantor audio, Audible Audio
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Tags:	audiobooks, non-fiction, popular-science

Work Information

Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik (2013)

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Molecules: The Elements and the Architecture of Everything by Theodore W. Gray (2wonderY)
2wonderY: Both of these books delight in the chemical world and present it in a fascinating way.
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Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color by Philip Ball (aspirit)
aspirit: Recommended in Miodownik's book as "Further Reading".
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The Material World by Rodney Cotterill (aspirit)
aspirit: Recommended in Miodownik's book as "Further Reading".

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Showing 1-5 of 48 (next | show all)

I liked a lot of this book. It's written in an easy-to-understand way and a lot of the information is extremely interesting. The book explores the origins and characteristics of nine human-made materials: steel, paper, concrete, chocolate, aerogel, plastic, glass, carbon, and ceramic. The steel, concrete, and aerogel chapters were the most interesting, in my opinion.

The book did have some slow parts, or at least parts that I didn't find interesting. Also, the author added quite a few personal anecdotes that were sometimes a bit dull.

All in all, it's a good book, but I didn't love it. (

)

zeronetwo | May 14, 2024 |

An interesting look at the hidden life of porcelain, chocolate, steel and other substances. The chapters are short and it is written at a level snyone could understand (

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cspiwak | Mar 6, 2024 |

Fascinating to listen to. Though I'd probably get way more out of reading it, this was sufficient for my interest level. I quite enjoyed paper, as I'm sure many readers did. (

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Kiramke | Jun 27, 2023 |

What a wonderful way to bring back memories of chemistry and physics. This has to be one of the most interesting and fun contexts for teaching/learning science - placing the elements into everyday objects. (

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Kimberlyhi | Apr 15, 2023 |

Mark Miodownik examines the materials that surround us, including chocolate, concrete, foam, glass, graphite, implants, paper, plastic, porcelain, and steel. The author dives deep into the scientific properties and history of each. He also relates his own experiences with these substances. I have to admit being surprised at the inclusion of implants and chocolate, as they seem a bit different than the others (but still interesting). There is an unusual “play” in the middle, involving plastics, which did not quite work as well as the other chapters, but I guess he was going for creativity. It is written in a lively manner, accessible, and entertaining manner. (

)

Castlelass | Feb 8, 2023 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Mark Miodownik	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Page, Michael	Narrator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Publisher Series

Imeline Teadus (17)

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

National Academies Communication Award (Winner – 2015)

Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize (Winner – General – 2014)

SB&F's Best Books (Books for Adults – 2014)

Distinctions

Amazon.com Best Books (Science – 2014)

The Observer Book of the Year (Science – 2013)

Notable Lists

30 Nonfiction Books That Are Sure to Make You Smarter

Physics World Book of the Year (Winner – 2014)

Physics World Book of the Year (Shortlist – 2014)

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Canonical title

Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World

Original title

Stuff matters : The strange stories of the marvellous materials that shape our man-made world

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2014 (US edition)

2013

People/Characters

Important places

London, England, UK

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

For Ruby, Lazlo, and Ida

First words

As is stood on a train bleeding from what would later be classified as a thirteen-centimeter stab wound, I wondered what to do.

Quotations

books en masse are more than a library, they are a statement of identity.

If an atom were the size of an athletics stadium, the nucleus would be the size of a pea at its center, and the electrons would be the size of grains of sand in the surrounding stands.

You might think it not credible that a material as soft as leather can sharpen steel, and you would be right. It is the fine ceramic powder that is impregnated in the leather strop that does the sharpening.

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Sacks, Oliver

Le Couteur, Penny

Ascher, Kate

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

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▾Book descriptions

"Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does a paperclip bend? Why does any material look and behave the way it does?With clarity and humor, world-leading materials scientist Mark Miodownik answers all the questions you've ever had about your pens, spoons, and razor blades, while also introducing a whole world full of materials you've never even heard of: the diamond five times the size of Earth; concrete cloth that can be molded into any shape; and graphene, the thinnest, strongest, stiffest material in existence--only a single atom thick.Stuff Matters tells enthralling stories that explain the science and history of materials. From the teacup to the jet engine, the silicon chip to the paper clip, the plastic in our appliances to the elastic in our underpants, Miodownik reveals the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives. As engaging as it is incisive, Stuff Matters will make you see the materials that surround you with new eyes"--

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