Description: Every aspect of daily living is influenced in some way by the materials that surround us. Ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites; each has its own properties which have, over time, influenced the development of modern technological societies. Take a moment to imagine a world without metal, for example, to see how central the science of materials is to everyday life. This course will explore, at a non-specialist level, the basic principles governing the properties and behaviour of a wide variety of common materials and examine their applications and limitations.