Due to its impurities, iron and its various forms — steel, pig iron, wrought iron, and others — made the expansion of civilizations possible. Metals like iron are too ductile when in their pure forms as they bend too easily under pressure. But when one mixes iron with other elements like carbon, it becomes stronger; it can withstand more applied force but is still malleable enough to be worked into bars and beams for buildings and structures. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here