Skip to content

The whole atlas, connected

What are you curious about?

Search by object, material, property or country. Try “copper”, “heat”, “bicycle” or “Australia”. Search runs entirely in your browser.

Mobile phone ↗

A small meeting place for very different materials.

Bicycle ↗

Strength depends on shape as well as substance.

Ceramic mug ↗

Soft clay becomes a rigid, partly glassy body.

Insulated window ↗

The invisible gaps matter as much as the glass.

Solar panel ↗

A fragile semiconductor protected for outdoor work.

Toothpaste and tube ↗

A formulation and its container solve different problems.

Headphones ↗

A controlled movement becomes sound.

Running shoe ↗

A hard-wearing surface, a soft middle, a flexible shell.

Lithium-ion battery ↗

Ions travel inside; electrons take the useful outside route.

Electric kettle ↗

Heat where it is useful, insulation where it is held.

Cotton T-shirt ↗

Plant fibres become yarn, then a flexible looped fabric.

Fleece jacket ↗

A familiar bottle polymer, rearranged into warmth.

Drink can ↗

Two alloys, a thin barrier, and a very efficient shape.

Food can ↗

Mostly steel, despite the familiar name “tin”.

Glass bottle ↗

A continuous glass wall, closed by a very different material.

Plastic drink bottle ↗

One polymer for the wall, another for the closure.

Milk carton ↗

Paper supplies stiffness; very thin layers supply barriers.

Frying pan ↗

Heat spreading and food release ask for different surfaces.

Stainless-steel saucepan ↗

A durable skin around a heat-spreading core.

Toothbrush ↗

A stiff handle carries a field of flexible fibres.

Spectacle frames ↗

Small components balance stiffness, flexibility and comfort.

Car tyre ↗

A reinforced pressure vessel that must keep flexing.

Wooden pencil ↗

Graphite writes; the wood protects and guides it.

LED lamp ↗

Making light still leaves heat to manage.

Washing machine ↗

A wet working chamber inside a structural and electrical system.

Chair ↗

A frame carries the load; softer layers manage contact.

Backpack ↗

A flexible container with a hidden load path.

Umbrella ↗

A lightweight roof that must fold into a bundle.

Bound book ↗

Paper becomes a durable sequence through its binding.

Skateboard ↗

A springy deck above four engineered contact patches.

Bicycle helmet ↗

Protection comes from a carefully controlled collapse.

Electric cable ↗

A conductor is useful only when its current stays on the intended path.

House keys ↗

A small metal profile carries a mechanical code.

Sofa ↗

Softness is built on a load-bearing skeleton.

Refrigerator ↗

A machine that moves heat, wrapped in materials that slow its return.

Ballpoint pen ↗

A tiny rolling contact meters a line of ink.

Glass aquarium ↗

Clear walls become a water-holding structure at their joints.

Ceramic tile floor ↗

A hard surface relies on the layers beneath it.

Silk scarf ↗

A protein fibre becomes a surface that catches light and folds easily.

Concrete block ↗

A shaped mineral composite with strength in both its material and geometry.

Door handle ↗

A hand-sized lever translates a small movement into a latch action.

Household mirror ↗

A transparent sheet protects a very thin reflecting surface.

Acoustic guitar ↗

A wooden resonator turns a string’s small motion into audible sound.

Quartz wristwatch ↗

A tiny vibrating crystal provides the rhythm for moving hands.

Toaster ↗

A hot filament inside a deliberately cooler frame.

Blender ↗

A tough vessel around a fast-moving cutting and circulation system.

Microwave oven ↗

A metal enclosure that contains waves while a window admits light.

Vacuum cleaner ↗

Airflow moves the dirt; filters and seals decide where it stops.

Hair dryer ↗

Resistance heats the air; the fan keeps that heat moving.

Steam iron ↗

A hot, smooth plate beneath a cooler water-and-control system.

Electric fan ↗

Light blades move the air; a stable frame keeps the motion in place.

Desk lamp ↗

Light arms reach outward; a heavy base makes that reach possible.

Kitchen knife ↗

A hard cutting edge carried by a tougher, controllable whole.

Scissors ↗

Two edges shear because their alignment stays controlled.

Cutlery ↗

A matching set can contain steels chosen for different jobs.

Chopping board ↗

A working surface that yields a little so the knife edge can last.

Baking tray ↗

A conductive sheet kept flat by a much stiffer edge.

Whisk ↗

Springy wires turn a moving hand into many small mixing paths.

Colander ↗

A stiff bowl whose missing material is the point.

Food-storage box ↗

A rigid container meets a flexible seal at a carefully shaped edge.

Vacuum flask ↗

Two thin walls use an almost-empty space to slow heat transfer.

Cafetière ↗

A glass vessel, a metal screen and a slow separation.

Moka pot ↗

Two metal chambers turn a pressure difference into a coffee path.

Laptop ↗

A portable computer is also a compact heat-management system.

Computer mouse ↗

A small camera turns surface texture into movement.

Keyboard ↗

A repeated press becomes a reliable electrical decision.

Television ↗

An LED label does not necessarily mean an LED makes every picture pixel.

Remote control ↗

A soft button can close a circuit that sends invisible light.

Game controller ↗

The same hand movement can be sensed by contact or by magnetism.

USB flash drive ↗

Information remains as an electrical state, without a spinning disk.

Wi-Fi router ↗

The plastic cover is part of the space around a carefully shaped antenna.

Smoke alarm ↗

A dark chamber notices when particles redirect a beam of light.

Torch ↗

A metal body can protect the light and carry its heat away.

Power drill ↗

A motor’s fast rotation becomes controlled torque at a steel chuck.

Screwdriver ↗

A carefully fitted tip matters as much as a strong shaft.

Claw hammer ↗

One head provides both an impact face and a lever.

Tape measure ↗

A thin curved strip can extend rigidly and still roll into a pocket.

Padlock ↗

Corrosion resistance and resistance to force are different material jobs.

Stapler ↗

A small lever drives a fastener, and a shaped anvil finishes the fold.

Adhesive tape ↗

A flexible backing carries an adhesive that stays ready to bond.

Zipper ↗

A slider joins many small elements into one flexible closure.

Loudspeaker ↗

A light diaphragm moves air while a heavier structure holds it in line.

Jeans ↗

A tough woven surface with carefully placed flexibility.

Wool jumper ↗

Warmth from fibres and the spaces between them.

Raincoat ↗

The fabric outside is only one part of the rain barrier.

Leather belt ↗

A flexible strap that carries force through a few small holes.

Baseball cap ↗

Soft cloth organised around a deliberately stiff visor.

Towel ↗

Loops put more absorbent fibre where water can reach it.

Bed sheet ↗

A textile surface with a carefully controlled fit.

Duvet ↗

A lightweight filling works by holding air in place.

Mattress ↗

A spring structure and soft layers share the load.

Yoga mat ↗

Foam cushions; an internal reinforcement helps hold the shape.

Tennis racket ↗

A stiff frame carries a deliberately flexible string bed.

Football ↗

The outer panels and the air chamber solve different problems.

Suitcase ↗

A protective shell still depends on its moving parts.

Cardboard box ↗

A folded paper structure with a hidden corrugated core.

Egg carton ↗

A single moulded fibre shape protects several fragile shells.

Takeaway cup ↗

A paper wall needs a separate strategy for holding liquid.

Jar lid ↗

A rigid metal cap closes against a much softer gasket.

Soap dispenser ↗

A small pump turns a hand movement into controlled liquid flow.

Aluminium ↗

Light enough to carry. Adaptable enough to shape.

Copper ↗

A quiet network of heat and electricity.

Carbon steel ↗

Strength built from chemistry and structure.

Stainless steel ↗

A protective surface that renews itself.

Cast iron ↗

A heavy pan with a cast-in shape.

Zinc ↗

A layer that protects another metal.

Nickel ↗

A small addition can change the whole material.

Tin ↗

A thin coating or a tiny electrical joint.

Gold ↗

A precious surface for a reliable contact.

Lithium ↗

A moving ion inside a rechargeable cell.

Cobalt ↗

Different chemistry, different job.

Graphite ↗

From a pencil mark to a battery electrode.

Silicon ↗

The carefully controlled crystal inside electronics.

Neodymium ↗

A small magnet can do a large job.

Soda-lime glass ↗

The familiar glass of bottles and windows.

Borosilicate glass ↗

Glass designed to move less with heat.

Aluminosilicate glass ↗

A carefully engineered surface for a pocket-sized screen.

Porcelain ↗

Soft clay becomes a hard, dense vessel.

Alumina ↗

An electrical insulator that can also carry heat.

Calcium carbonate ↗

A mineral that becomes a filler, pigment or gentle abrasive.

Silica ↗

The same chemistry can have different structures.

Titanium ↗

Strength and corrosion resistance without steel’s density.

PET ↗

A clear bottle and a fleece share a polymer.

HDPE ↗

A tougher bottle from more orderly chains.

LDPE ↗

Branching makes a familiar flexible film.

Polypropylene ↗

A moulded hinge that bends again and again.

PVC ↗

One polymer, from rigid frames to flexible cable jackets.

ABS ↗

A tough shell around a more delicate machine.

Polycarbonate ↗

A clear view with more impact tolerance.

Nylon ↗

One family can become a bristle or a gear.

Polyester fibre ↗

Bottle chemistry, textile structure.

Polyurethane ↗

The chemistry behind both cushioning and tough surfaces.

Silicone ↗

A flexible seal built on a silicon–oxygen backbone.

PTFE ↗

A low-friction surface with specific limits.

EVA ↗

The link between a cushioned step and a protected solar cell.

Natural rubber ↗

Tree latex becomes a resilient engineered material.

Cotton ↗

A seed fibre turned into everyday fabric.

Wool ↗

Crimped fibres hold a pocket of air.

Wood ↗

Structure grown in directions, not poured into a mould.

Paper & paperboard ↗

A network of fibres becomes a sheet, box or carton.

Cork ↗

A springy material harvested from bark.

Carbon-fibre composite ↗

Strength follows the direction of the fibres.

Glass-fibre composite ↗

Brittle glass becomes useful reinforcement.

Epoxy resin ↗

The binder that makes separate parts act together.

Brass ↗

Copper and zinc, tuned for a useful shape.

Bronze ↗

An alloy name with several branches.

Silver ↗

A bright surface and a route for current.

Acrylic (PMMA) ↗

Clear plastic that can become a shaped window.

Polystyrene ↗

One polymer, several very different structures.

Polyacetal (POM) ↗

Small moving parts that keep their geometry.

Flax / linen ↗

A stem’s supporting fibres become linen.

Silk ↗

A cocoon filament becomes a textile.

Leather ↗

A biological fibre network, stabilised for use.

Bamboo ↗

A grass stem becomes a useful structure.

Plywood ↗

Thin layers share the work in different directions.

Concrete ↗

Stone grains held by a reacting binder.

Gypsum ↗

A mineral whose bound water can be rearranged.

Cement ↗

A reactive powder that binds a composite.

Stoneware ↗

Clay made dense enough for everyday ware.

EPDM rubber ↗

A flexible seal for weather and water.

Nichrome ↗

A wire whose resistance is the point.

Elastane / spandex ↗

A small thread that changes how a fabric moves.

What makes a good pan? ↗

Moving heat into food

Glass or PET for a bottle? ↗

Containing a drink

Three ways to build a bicycle frame ↗

Carrying loads with less mass

Cotton or polyester against the skin? ↗

Managing comfort and moisture

Not all transparent glass behaves alike ↗

Choosing a glass for its job

Copper and aluminium as conductors ↗

Moving electricity

Natural rubber or silicone rubber for a seal? ↗

Making a resilient seal

Paper, polyethylene and foil: why combine them? ↗

Protecting a liquid in a carton

Wood or polypropylene for a chair? ↗

Supporting a person, indoors or out

Hard is not the same as hard to break ↗

Understanding scratches and impacts

A morning, seen differently ↗

From the first sip to the front door.

From silica to a screen ↗

A mineral ingredient takes several paths.

One metal, very different lives ↗

Follow aluminium through form and function.

What “recyclable” leaves out ↗

Follow an object beyond the symbol.

Heat always finds a route ↗

Conduct it, slow it, or survive it.

Nature, re-engineered ↗

From grown structure to designed object.

The hidden minerals of everyday technology ↗

A phone, a magnet and a global data trail.

The material choices behind repair ↗

Connections determine what comes apart.

Changing the chemistry ↗

Which new substance is being made?

Choosing a feedstock ↗

What is actually entering the process?

Separation & feedstock preparation ↗

Which constituents are kept, and which are removed?

Chemical extraction ↗

How is an element separated chemically from its compounds?

Engineering the composition ↗

What is deliberately added, and why?

Giving material a shape ↗

How does geometry become part of the performance?

Building polymer chains ↗

Which molecular structure is being created?

Turning fibres into structures ↗

What can the fibre arrangement do that one fibre cannot?

Heat, cooling and structure ↗

What changes beyond the temperature?

Bonding, curing and laminating ↗

What creates a durable connection?

Engineering the surface ↗

Which job belongs at the interface?

Growing and harvesting ↗

Which useful structure was made by a living organism?

Making a working product ↗

How do the parts act as a system?

Friction & sliding ↗

Control resistance between surfaces.

Adhesion & bonding ↗

Make unlike surfaces work together.

Strength & stiffness ↗

Carry a load. Keep a shape.

Density & weight ↗

How much mass fits in a space?

Conductivity ↗

Give heat or charge a route.

Insulation ↗

Slow an unwanted transfer.

Temperature behaviour ↗

Stay useful as conditions change.

Corrosion resistance ↗

Control reactions with the surroundings.

Light & transparency ↗

Transmit, scatter or redirect light.

Elasticity & recovery ↗

Deform, then return.

Hardness & wear ↗

Resist a mark at the surface.

Barrier performance ↗

Keep contents and surroundings apart.

Moisture behaviour ↗

Water changes more than wetness.

Forming & shaping ↗

Turn useful matter into useful geometry.

Magnetism ↗

Create force without contact.

Electrochemical behaviour ↗

Store energy through controlled reactions.

Aluminium production ↗

Primary smelter production · 2025 estimates

Copper production ↗

Mine production, contained copper · 2025 estimates

Lithium production ↗

Mine production, lithium content · 2025 estimates

Cobalt production ↗

Mine production, contained cobalt · 2025 estimates

Natural graphite production ↗

Mine production, natural graphite · 2025 estimates

Nickel production ↗

Mine production, contained nickel · 2025 estimates