Glass is one of the world's most transformative materials. Featuring tremendous versatility and distinctive technical capabilities, glass has been responsible for numerous cultural and scientific advancements for windows to optical fibre. Today, the pace of glass innovation is accelerating, thanks to scientists' deep understanding of glass physics and chemistry, combined with modern analytic and control technologies. The authors of this article believe that the world has now entered the "Glass Age" giving us an unprecedented opportunity to harness the unique capabilities of glass to solve some of our world's most urgent challenges, such as more effective healthcare, cleaner energy and water, and more efficient communication. Realizing the potential of the Glass Age will require collaboration, resources and support, but it is an opportunity we cannot afford to waste.
