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Mark Miodownik

Mark Miodownik

British materials engineer and engineering professional

Oct 30, 2026

18:31
Do you see examples of tessellation in nature, though? I mean, beyond down at sort of crystal structure?
18:37
Yeah.
18:37
So, I mean, life is a good example of living stuff because everything in life is made out of cells.
18:42
That's the Lego of the living world.
18:44
And to make multicellular life, it has to sort of basically build cell structures and they all have to sit together.
18:50
Now, they're bags of squidgy gel.
18:52
They have to kind of organize themselves.
21:12
Yeah, well, I mean, this is a crystal, right? I
5:58
So I understand, obviously, you find the topic of gases interesting, but w- why are we talking about it here? Why, why is it important for people to know and understand More about gases
6:10
Well, they are our life support system.
6:12
I mean, that's an obvious, I suppose, so what, which is that we're breathing oxygen now, um, and without it you die very quickly.
6:19
Um, but it's more than that.
6:21
They...
6:22
The, the, the emergence of oxygen on this planet was not... is, is an unusual occurrence.
6:27
I mean, it's...

13 MINS LATER

19:22
So what is a gas that we haven't talked about yet that you think is really interesting and we should talk about?
8:55
So if you've just been to the gym, the dog will come and lick you.
8:59
There are things called salt licks that you have to put in fields.
9:02
And the animals haven't had it for a week, which is probably not too bad.
9:05
But all the farmers know this is only going to go one way.
9:08
They're all their flocks and herds are going to start to wither and die.
9:13
They'll have enough in the current feedstocks, but the farmers are farsighted people.
9:17
They're asking for potassium chloride to be given.
10:54
Mark, a month in, can the market feel it?
1:20
There are a few people walking by in coats.
1:24
And if you see the world through my eyes, you'd see this.
1:43
We see words like steel, rubber, tarmac, wood, PVC, and more.
1:50
Don't pity me, okay? [audience laughs] I love this stuff.
1:55
We just make so many amazing materials as humans.
1:58
In fact, that's what we do.
1:59
We have done that for thousands of years.
2:02
We make stuff.

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