Welcome to the Glass Age

41 and electronics industries as described in Chapter 5. Glasses and education Education is central to the progress of our society and links closely to the storage of knowledge. Both are at the heart of the International Commission on Glass (ICG) and are considered in Chapter 11. Shaping the world through glass artists/museums The Island of Murano, Italy is a go-to places for glass art, and its economy is heavily reliant on artefacts whose price can range from a few to many thousand dollars. But rich and developing countries alike now and throughout history have had businesses making and selling glass souvenirs of local tourist attractions and producing beautiful glass objects such as beads, necklaces, earrings, even cuff links as well as glass sculptures and decorated windows for churches, gardens and public places. Indeed, international trade in glass beads was already widespread several millennia ago. The equipment needed can be less sophisticated than for other areas of glassmaking and may be accessible to the amateur community. For example, sea glasses, unlike plastic waste, are prized by beachcombers; created by the incessant tumbling action of waves on discarded glass fragments, their rounded shapes with translucent delicate colors are much appreciated for jewelry. The Studio Glass movement, whose 60 th anniversary is in 2022, is but one vibrant area within this picture. These subjects are expanded in Chapters 9 and 10. Summary With its unparalleled versatility and technical capabilities, glass has fostered numerous cultural and scientific advancements. Its history is shared with the evolution of humankind. Its future will contribute to the challenges of a sustainable and fairer society. Let’s drink a glass to that! Further reading B ontemps , G. (2008): Guide de Verrier: Bontemps on Glass Making (translated by M. Cable), Society of Glass Technology. D eutsches M useum (n. d.): Glastechnik (1-5): Vol 1. Glass: The Material ; Vol 2. Glass Hollowware ; Vol 3. Flat Glass ; Vol 4. Speciality Glass ; Vol 5. Lampworking, Scientific Glassblowing . G an , F.; L i , Q. & H enderson , J. (2016): Recent Advances in the Scientific Research on Ancient Glass and Glaze , World Century Publishing Corporation. N eri , A. (2001): The Art of Glass (translated by Christopher Merrett and edited by M. Cable), Society of Glass Technology. V anderstukken , K. (2016): GLASS. Virtual, Real , Black Dog Publishing.