What You'll Learn:
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.
Key Insights:
- Restoring the Statue of Liberty was America’s most public, acrimonious, and jubilant battle against rust.
- Steel has only recently emerged victorious in the war against rust.
- Galvanizing metals is one of the most useful anti-corrosion techniques, but the United States has yet to embrace it.
- Humanity has won decisive battles against corrosion, but the war is far from over.
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