by James Hickman
Schiff Sovereign
In the pantheon of human ingenuity, the development of iron and steel ranks up there with the discovery of fire and the invention of the wheel.
In fact, the advancement of human civilization would have been nearly impossible without iron—and the steel that it becomes.
Metallurgy (and agriculture) are ultimately what brought our ancestors out of caves and allowed them to build lasting settlements, many of which (Athens, Jerusalem, Delhi, etc.) still exist to this day.
Steel is still arguably the most important industrial commodity in the world. From railroads to skyscrapers, cars, bridges and electrical infrastructure, our modern way of life depends on steel.