Material World

Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization

Ed Conway

The Six materials that underpin the modern world

This book is required reading for anyone who votes or makes consumption decisions and wishes to understand the world they live in and how it works. By taking the reader on a journey with each of six raw materials that Ed Conway has elected to cover as the six fundamental raw materials that shape modern civilization as sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium. These essential resources are described as the building blocks of our infrastructure, technology, and energy systems, underlying everything from construction to smartphones. 

• Sand: Crucial for producing concrete, glass, and silicon chips.

• Salt: Essential for chemical, pharmaceutical, and industrial processes.

• Iron: The foundation for steel, creating the skeleton of modern infrastructure.

• Copper: Vital for electricity generation, distribution networks, and electronics.

• Oil: Powers the industrial economy and fuels modern transportation.

• Lithium: Critical for the energy transition, specifically in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles. 

Conway argues that these materials are the foundation of human progress, and the battle to control them will define the future. 

Why I LIKED IT

I learned so much about how the world actually works, and it is written in an engaging way that makes it so easy to keep going.