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Sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium are the stars of Ed Conway\\u2019s book, Material World. He tells Tom Sutcliffe how they built our world, from the Dark Ages to the present day. And how much the battle to secure them will shape our geopolitical future.

The science writer Aarathi Prasad focuses on one of the world\\u2019s strongest biological materials ever known \\u2013 Silk. In her latest book she explores the ancient origins of silk, its global reach, and how it continues to inspire new technologies \\u2013 from pharmaceuticals to holograms.

And materials and how different civilisations use them are at the heart of the British Museum\\u2019s exhibition, Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece (until 13th August). The curator, Jamie Fraser, highlights the perceived excesses of the Persian empire \\u2013 with its abundance of gold, finely crafted pottery and frankincense \\u2013 in direct contrast to the plainer tastes of their Greek victors.

Producer: Katy Hickman