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The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) can technically be traced back as far as the 1300s, although the idea wouldn’t be brought to life for centuries still. On this week’s special extended edition of Throwback Thursday, we’re looking at the history of artificial intelligence and what took it from a theoretical framework to something fully embedded into modern society. Intrigued? Wanting to learn more? 

From cookware to electronics, Teflon is a widely used synthetic polymer that most of us have contact with every day. It’s a fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and arguably the most famous fluoropolymer there is! The material, which is actually called Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is most commonly known by its brand name, Teflon. So, where exactly did this wonder material come from and how did it come to be synonymous with its brand name?

This transparent or white plastic is often called PET, PETP or Polyester. The latter often causes confusion, as other materials are also given this name. For example, the chemically similar Polybutylene Terephthalate® (PBT), a thermoplastic polyester, is often called just ‘Polyester’. So is the most common resin system used in glass-reinforced plastic, as it’s referred to as a Polyester system. 

The second brightest object in our sky, a home from home and the largest object mankind has ever put into space! This week’s Throwback Thursday is all about the International Space Station (ISS)! Locked in Earth’s orbit, the ISS is a multi-nation construction project and is a hub for astronaut research. Time to find out more about this off-world landmark (skymark?!) ... 

Boron Nitride, or BN, is not as “famous” and has less visibility than other simple inorganic compounds, such as Sodium Chloride or Aluminium Nitride. Often used in high-temperature applications due to good thermal and chemical stability, Boron Nitride also has an exciting future within nanotechnology.

During the summer months, refrigeration is probably on our minds more than ever. Workers in offices everywhere often pass their colleagues with throw-away comments such as “It’s a hot one today!” or “I wish I could sit in the fridge!”. This classic summertime statement may lead you to wonder where we would be without our trusty refrigerator, or even where it all began… This week’s heatwave-inspired Throwback Thursday will answer those questions!

This bluish-white, brittle metal that has been known to mankind for millennia and is the fourth most common metal in use today, after Iron, Aluminium and Copper. Found in an array of day-to-day objects in different formats – from foods and vitamins to batteries and medicinal creams – Zinc is something we’ve all come into contact with in one way or another! 

Welcome to Throwback Thursday! Today we’re going to be looking at a technology, which today, we rarely lend a second thought to. This technology was discovered accidentally, but without it, our lives would be much more complicated. 

Archaeologists cite the era of the ancient Egyptians as the time in which Platinum was first integrated into human life. In fact, the earliest evidence of Platinum dates back almost three thousand years to the famous Casket of Thebes, which was adorned with the precious metal.