Material World book cover

Material World by Ed Conway Summary

Material World
Ed Conway
4.51 (7054 Reviews)
Science
Technology
Economics
Panoramica
Punti Chiave
Autore
Domande Frequenti

Overview of Material World

Discover how six raw materials - sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium - invisibly shape our world. Named one of The Economist's "Best Books of 2023," Conway's eye-opening exploration has changed how industry leaders view civilization's physical foundations. What everyday item contains all six?

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Punti chiave

1

The Hidden World That Powers Everything

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Your morning coffee depends on a chain of materials most people never think about: aluminum mined in Australia, refined using Icelandic geothermal energy, shipped to China for manufacturing, then distributed globally. The ceramic mug required kaolin clay heated to 1,280C. The coffee itself relied on fertilizers made from natural gas. This invisible material foundation supports literally everything in modern life, yet we've become so disconnected from physical production that we barely notice it exists. We live in what feels like an ethereal economy of apps, services, and digital products, forgetting that every bit and byte requires massive physical infrastructure-data centers full of silicon chips, copper wiring spanning continents, and concrete foundations anchoring it all. This disconnection has real consequences: when COVID-19 disrupted supply chains, suddenly everyone wondered why we couldn't just "make more" computer chips or medical equipment, revealing our collective ignorance about how things actually get made.

2

Sand: The Foundation We're Running Out Of

3

Silicon's Extraordinary Global Journey

4

Salt: From Seasoning to Strategic Weapon

5

Steel and Copper: The Skeleton and Nervous System

6

Oil, Lithium, and the Energy Transition

7

Embracing the Material World

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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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comments
12
likes
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

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"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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@Moemenn
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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
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comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
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96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
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star
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star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
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201
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
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"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
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