From this simple beginning, Miodownik expands his story (and his readers' perspectives) by identifying some of the materials comprising items in this image, using that to begin sharing the stories of man-made 'stuff'. This photograph serves as Miodownik's launch point and provides a simple but effective structure for the narrative arc of his entire book. When the book begins, we are greeted by a black-and-white photograph of the author sitting at a small table in his London roof garden, contemplating a book over a cup of tea and bar of chocolate. The author, a UCL professor and materials scientist, uses chemistry, history, psychology and good old fashioned storytelling to explore the nature of the materials that compose some of the stuff that occupies most peoples' everyday lives, prompting readers to view the most ordinary objects - drinking glasses, stainless steel spoons, a bar of chocolate and even pencils - with a newfound appreciation.

'A million questions poured out', at least a thousand of which gave rise to his latest book, Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World. 'Since the stabbing incident, I have spent the vast majority of my life obsessing about materials', writes Miodownik. As a teenager, Mark Miodownik started out much like all of us, until a stranger on the tube slashed through five layers of his clothing with a razor blade that was 'not much bigger than a postage stamp' - giving him a huge scar down his back and an unexpected focus to his life.

Most of us don't even think about all the 'stuff' that populates our lives - until we trip over something.

Stuff matters miodownik