LEADLIGHTS

I may be going out on a limb here, but glass is probably the most remarkable substance in our homes. Thanks to the super-heating of silica grains and the way in which they are subsequently cooled, we found a material that could be used to view everything from the stars (telescopes) and germs (microscopes) to novels (glasses) and films (projectors).

Its biggest impact in our homes would have to be windows. As far back as the Roman and