Seven Materials That Made the Modern World

Strip away the software and sleek digital interfaces of modern life, and you uncover something unexpected: seven unassuming materials have held our world together for centuries.

Silicon, glass, steel, aluminum, copper, plastics, and concrete form the backbone of everything from microchips and medical devices to skyscrapers, cars, and global infrastructure.

This course examines how each material emerged, why it rose to dominance, and why replacing it has proven so difficult.

We’ll explore the science, history, and societal consequences of these materials, weighing the benefits they’ve delivered against the environmental costs and supply challenges they now pose.

The module on silicon will include an introduction to rare earth minerals, revealing how obscure substances have become central to global supply chains, national security, and technological competition.

Through lectures, discussion, and hands-on examination of raw and finished samples, students will gain a tangible understanding of the materials that quietly but decisively shape the modern world.

No technical background is required.