This infographic by Camden Asay (click to embiggen) shows that we're fast running out of the stuff that powers our vehicles and our weaponry. But we've got even less time left with our gadgets. Yttrium and indium, two of the rare-earth elements that enable us to have TVs, computer monitors, and touch screens — oh, and solar panels — are on a fast track to complete depletion. At our current rate of use, we have less than 15 years' worth left. Of course, we'll probably become a little more efficient at deploying these resources … but at our modern levels of demand for technology, efficiency really only postpones the inevitable.
Infographic: The metals that make our technology are running out
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