Semiconductors and National Security: The Most Impactful Technology Ever Made

That One STEM Podcast

We often assume bigger means more impactful, but that's not always true. Our most crucial invention today is one of the smallest: semiconducting materials, used in chips, transistors, and microprocessors. Found in everything from computers to toothbrushes, they've revolutionized military, medical, and scientific fields. Forget the wheel—without them, modern technology wouldn’t exist. So, what makes this tiny tech so vital, why is semiconductor manufacturing so challenging, and why are global superpowers racing to control their production, and how are semiconductors impacting one of the world's most important geopolitical issues? Join us in this week's episode as we answer these questions.
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Sources:
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Davidson, Helen, and Chi-Hui Lin. “How Taiwan Secured Semiconductor Supremacy – and Why It Won’t Give It Up.” The Guardian, 28 Aug. 2024, www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/19/taiwan-semiconductor-industry-booming.

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