The world in a grain: the story of sand and how it transformed civilization

The most important solid substance on Earth

Part I. How sand built the twentieth century's industrialized world. The skeleton of cities ; Paved with good intentions ; The thing that lets us see everything

Part II. How sand is building the twenty-first century's globalized, digital world. High tech, high purity ; Fracking facilitator ; Miami Beach-less ; Man-made lands ; Desert war ; Concrete conquers the city ; Beyond sand.