Under a Metal Sky : A Journey Through Minerals, Greed and Wonder by Philip Marsden developed from her groundbreaking Radio

developed from her groundbreaking Radio 4 essay series

Francis's tour of bridges around the world demonstrates what the building of bridges has meant to our civilisation

written by Richard Ovenden OBE

She gradually won the admiration of learned men and intellectual honours

among many other deities and demigods

Under a Metal Sky : A Journey Through Minerals, Greed and Wonder by Philip Marsden developed from her groundbreaking RadioThe discovery of minerals beneath our feet has transformed our species. Ochre first prompted humans to express themselves in art; tin and copper helped instigate the Bronze Age and later the Industrial Revolution; silver kick started the engines of global trade. Each of these substances generated a leap forward in technology, each one opened the imagination a little further and each one brought with it a cache of unexpected dangers. Under A Metal Sky