Engineer Jem Stansfield looks back through the Horizon archives to find out how scientists have come to understand and manipulate the materials that built the modern world. Whether it’s uncovering new materials or finding fresh uses for those we’ve known about for centuries, each breakthrough offers a tantalising glimpse of the holy grail of materials science – a substance that’s cheap to produce and has the potential to change our world. Jem explores how a series of extraordinary advances have done just that – from superconductors to the silicon revolution.