Rust: The Longest War

It comes as no surprise that the first words we have on record about rust are tinged with annoyance. The first known recorded reference to corrosion comes from a Roman general two millennia ago, bemoaning the damage some invisible foe had wreaked on his army’s catapults. Not much later, historian Pliny the Elder speculated that rust was a divinely placed check on humanity’s hubris. Even as speculations moved from metaphysical to empirical, the question of how best to deal with the menace of metal-munching oxidation continues. Journalist Jonathan Waldman takes us through British industrial factories and Rust Belt remains to show us where we’ve been and gives us a few glimpses of where corrosion could gain the upper hand against cities if we fail to recognize our ongoing battle against entropy.