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Thomas Thwaites Builds a Toaster From Scratch

TED · Talk · YouTube title: Thomas Thwaites: How I built a toaster -- from scratch
Why it's here

HN uses it as the standard illustration of hidden complexity and supply-chain dependencies behind everyday objects.

What it covers

Designer Thomas Thwaites describes his attempt to build a toaster from scratch, from mining ore and deriving plastic from oil. It is a short TED talk on how much civilization a simple object depends on.