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Sidedoor
Cellphones Rock
Sep 27, 2023
Curator of globalization at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Joshua A. Bell, along with other experts, discusses the role of rocks in powering our cellphones. The podcast explores the use of indium in touch screens, the rarity and importance of tantalum, challenges of recycling old phones, and the process of e-waste recycling. It emphasizes responsible usage and highlights the exhibition 'Cell Phone, Unseen Connections'.
28:22
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Quick takeaways
- Indium is essential for touchscreens on cell phones, highlighting the complex ecosystem of materials in our devices.
- Tantalum, crucial for capacitors in phones, is scarce and demands ethical sourcing due to environmental disruption.
Deep dives
The Importance of Indium in Cell Phones
Indium, a rare and precious element, is essential for the functionality of touchscreens in cell phones. The element, discovered in the 1860s, is used in the indium tin oxide coating on phone screens, allowing them to register touch and respond accordingly. This reliance on indium highlights the complex ecosystem of materials found in cell phones and the natural resources required to create such advanced technology.
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