Synopses & Reviews
New York Times Notable Book 2014
Winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books
Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? These are the sorts of questions that renowned materials scientist Mark Miodownik constantly asks himself. Miodownik studies objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, uncovering the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world. In Stuff Matters, Miodownik explores the materials he encounters in a typical morning, from the steel in his razor to the foam in his sneakers. Full of enthralling tales of the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives, Stuff Matters will make you see stuff in a whole new way.
Review
“Miodownik, a materials scientist, explains the history and science behind things such as paper, glass, chocolate, and concrete with an infectious enthusiasm.” Scientific American
Review
“Stuff Matters is about hidden wonders, the astonishing properties of materials we think boring, banal, and unworthy of attention....It’s possible this science and these stories have been told elsewhere, but like the best chocolatiers, Miodownik gets the blend right.” New York Times Book Review
Review
"[Ordinary objects] have found their poet in Mark Miodownik....A thrilling account of the modern material world....Though I blush to recall it, once I had the impression that materials science was dull and pedestrian. Stuff Matters has changed my mind; now I find myself running my fingers along things and sighing. Mr. Miodownik's lively, eloquent book changes the way one looks at the world." Wall Street Journal
Review
"Materials scientist Miodownik intertwines humorous vignettes of daily life in London with subatomic behavior to explain the feats of engineering that brought us samurai swords, skyscrapers, pool balls and even chocolate. From concrete in Roman architecture to atom-thick graphene, Miodownik builds on a historical framework to give readers an idea of future applications. Clever in every sense of the word, Stuff Matters may leave you looking at windows rather than through them." Discover
Review
"Entertaining and informative....[Stuff Matters] delivers on both the scientific and personal levels. Its anecdotes, inviting prose and unusual chapter titles introduce both the author and his field of research, materials science." Dallas Morning News
Review
"A compact, intense guided tour through a handful of physical materials, from concrete to chocolate, revealing what makes them profoundly affect our lives....[Miodownik] writes with enthusiasm, empathy and gratitude, making us care for concrete or foam as much as for Mr. Darcy or the Artful Dodger....[Stuff Matters] puts the wonder and strangeness back into all the truly magical stuff that comprises our everyday reality." Kirkus
Review
"A fascinating introduction to materials science....Miodownik’s infectious curiosity and explanatory gifts will inspire readers to take a closer look at the materials around them." Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
"I stayed up all night reading this book. Miodownik writes with such knowledge, such enthusiasm, such a palpable love for his subject." Oliver Sacks, author of Hallucinations
Synopsis
An eye-opening adventure deep inside the everyday materials that surround us, packed with surprising stories and fascinating science.
Synopsis
New York Times Bestseller - New York Times Notable Book 2014 - Winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books
"A thrilling account of the modern material world." --Wall Street Journal
"Miodownik, a materials scientist, explains the history and science behind things such as paper, glass, chocolate, and concrete with an infectious enthusiasm." --Scientific American
Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? These are the sorts of questions that renowned materials scientist Mark Miodownik constantly asks himself. Miodownik studies objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, uncovering the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world. In Stuff Matters, Miodownik explores the materials he encounters in a typical morning, from the steel in his razor to the foam in his sneakers. Full of enthralling tales of the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives, Stuff Matters will make you see stuff in a whole new way.
"Stuff Matters is about hidden wonders, the astonishing properties of materials we think boring, banal, and unworthy of attention...It's possible this science and these stories have been told elsewhere, but like the best chocolatiers, Miodownik gets the blend right." --New York Times Book Review
Synopsis
In this New York Times Notable Book, Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist, explains the history and science behind things such as paper, glass, chocolate, and concrete with an infectious enthusiasm. -- Scientific American
Winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books
Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? These are the sorts of questions that renowned materials scientist New York Times bestselling author Mark Miodownik constantly asks himself. Studying objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, he uncovers the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world.
In Stuff Matters, Miodownik explores the materials he encounters in a typical morning, from the steel in his razor to the foam in his sneakers. Full of enthralling tales of the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives, his stories of analysis will make you see stuff in a whole new way.
Stuff Matters is about hidden wonders, the astonishing properties of materials we think boring, banal, and unworthy of attention...It's possible this science and these stories have been told elsewhere, but like the best chocolatiers, Miodownik gets the blend right. -- The New York Times Book Review
About the Author
Mark Miodownik is Professor of Materials and Society at University College London. He is the Director of the Institute of Making, which is home to a materials library containing some of the most wondrous matter on earth.