Silicon: Imagine life without glass

For the next installment in the BBC’s Justin Rowlatt’s microscopic look at the economy: the silicon revolution.

Not only is silicon one of the major components in computer chips, but it’s also found in your windows, mirrors and wine glasses.

“Silicon is the basis of glass,” Rowlatt says. “We think of the silicon revolution being computers. But actually one of the very early technological revolutions was glass.”

Listen to the full conversation in the audio player above.