What's It Made Of?

Incredible exploded artworks and awesome photographs reveal the amazing materials used to create everyday objects.

Unlock the secrets behind everyday items and extraordinary inventions. Finding out What's It Made Of? is just the start of an amazing journey into the world of materials science – and learning about the surprising properties of materials and how they are put to thousands of different uses.

From sneakers to smartphones and game controllers to glue, this book reveals the secrets of many everyday objects, and a few more unusual ones. Each item in the book is shown broken apart or in stunning photographic detail in order to explore the hidden hero materials inside it. Along the way, you will find out about the materials that have made our modern world – where they come from, how they are extracted, and the toll this can take on the environment.

Perfect for curious minds and science enthusiasts, this visually striking book provides a deeper understanding of how the world around us is constructed.

About the author
Dr Anna Ploszajski is an award-winning materials scientist, author, presenter, comedian, and storyteller based in London.

She's a materials generalist, equally fascinated by metals, plastics, ceramics, glasses, and substances from the natural world. Her work centres around engaging traditionally underserved audiences with materials science and engineering through storytelling.

She regularly appears on the Infinite Monkey Cage on BBC Radio 4 and her lectures at the Royal Institute have had 57k+ views on YouTube.