Latest find in my favourite nerdy subgenre «the in-depth profile of stuff our modern world runs on». This one tells the story of the barcode, which for half a century has been the «plumbing of global capitalism», and now faces a slow death.

New in my favourite nerdy subgenre: the in-depth profile of materials our modern world runs on. This piece makes you understand how crucial copper is for building a carbon-free future, and how that means we need plenty more of those biggest man-made holes in the world.

As you might have noticed as keen readers of the Weekly Filet, I love in-depth profiles of materials our modern world runs on. This isn’t quite that, but similar: A conversation about small inventions with big effects on our modern world, from the nail to the spring to the lens. Insightful and entertaining.

It quite literally laid much of the foundations of the world as we know it, it has been (and continues to be) a «great emancipator in poorer parts of the world». However, it’s also one of the biggest emitters of carbon emissions so we need alternatives, fast. This is the story of concrete. (An interesting fact: In the 1950s and 60s, the Swiss poured more concrete per capita than any other country.)

A story of globalisation, told along the material that brings all that stuff we buy to our doorsteps. (Gift link that gives you free access without a subscription)

Here’s an astonishing fact: For every ton of steel that gets produced, two tons of carbon dioxide is emitted. In a world made of steel this adds up to 7 to 11 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. Reaching climate goals means drastically reducing the carbon footprint of how we make steel. This article gives a good overview of the key challenges of «green» steelmaking, and where we currently stand.

They power much of our modern world. And ever since the pandemic hit, the world needs more of them than it is able to produce. This article offers an inside view of how microchips are produced and why it’s not so easy to build new factories when you need more chips.