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LESSON 3 · The Stuff Things Are Made Of

Glass and Ceramic Innovations

Materials science keeps pushing glass and ceramics forward. Gorilla Glass resists cracks through ion exchange: smaller sodium ions near the surface are replaced by larger potassium ions, creating a compressed surface layer that helps stop flaws from spreading. Fiber optics carry internet signals, ceramic superconductors cut resistance, and bioceramics can mimic bone mineral.