The United Nations declared 2022 as the International Year of Glass.
Glass has been manufactured since ancient times and whole towns, such
as Stourbridge in the West Midlands have had glass industries. Glass is
not just made by humans. It can be made by nature as well.
High
heat from lightning or meterorites can transform ash to glass. It is
also thought that water on the moon could be encased in glass forming
tiny rocks on the moon’s surface.
But glass still has such an important role in modern society that the
United Nations felt it important to celebrate this role. Glass is in
our drinking glasses, smartphones, touchscreens, solar panels, wind
turbines, telescopes and many other things that we use on a daily basis.
Tiny spiral etchings on fibre optic cables allow light to spread more
easily along the surface so that data works more effectively.
So next time you think glass is just something everyday to drink your water out of – think again!
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