Life without steel

This vital alloy of iron and carbon builds our homes, schools, railways, ships, tools, surgical implements, food containers and countless other vital parts of our society.

It is hard to imagine life without a material that was first used more than 3,000 years ago.

So can we ever hope to produce this essential part of modern living without killing the planet at the same time?

The simple answer is yes.

And the solution to this huge problem lies in the hands of the scientific pioneers of the modern world - Chemical Engineers.

The idea is that the coke reacts with the oxygen in a way that turns the iron ore into pure molten iron.

The trouble is, the use of the coke unleashes toxic gases and slag that are so damaging to the world.