It’s a good bet that if most of us were to glance around our living rooms or offices, we’d quickly spot all manner of electronic devices that are powered by microchips. Since their introduction in the 1950s, chips have become one of the fundamental building blocks of the various digital technologies we rely on in our daily lives. What impact has this had on the development of technology, economics and global politics over the last several decades, and what roles will chips continue to play in our global future?

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Prof Rakesh Kumar, John Bardeen Faculty Scholar in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Illinois, to talk about his latest book, The Chip Age – How Chips Shaped Our Past and Will Define Our Future.

He tells us about the key role the space race played in the rapid development of microchips, explains how the production of chips involves collaboration between countries in almost every part of the world and talks us through some of the various economic, political and environmental issues that may influence the future of this vital technology.

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