It transports electricity, water, and heat. Our bodies can’t survive without it, yet it can kill microbes in minutes. It brings music to our ears and beauty to our eyes. We’ll delve into all of copper’s impressive traits, history, and how it’s mined. This versatile red metal’s most famous attribute is its ability to conduct electricity–copper wires connect and energize the world. And it’s revolutionizing the electronics industry by enabling ever-shrinking computer chips. It’s also formed into plumbing pipes to convey water and is the metal of choice for beautiful roofs and sculptures. It doesn’t only look good–it sounds great too. A visit to a bell foundry reveals why bronze, a copper alloy, has been used to make music for hundreds of years. In myriad shapes and for innumerable uses, copper figures prominently in our world.