‘Pixie Dust,’ the Prius, and the New Green Power

As we look for alternatives to oil and try to develop new technologies, we are tapping into an entire periodic table of new important commodities. These rare earth metals are the basis of a whole range of new “green” products. Lisa Margonelli is here to help us understand them. She’s a regular Takeaway contributor who writes the energy blog for The Atlantic and is the author of Oil on the Brain.