What began with temporary manufacturing disruptions at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a series of supply breakdowns, including those related to computer chip shortages, across multiple industries.

Also called an integrated circuit, IC, or computer chip, a modern chip is a network of electronic circuits printed on and embedded in a flat piece of silicon. Silicon is a semiconductor, meaning it can carry an electrical current between highly conductive elements like metals and less conductive materials like ceramics.

Demand for products with chips has risen since the start of the pandemic, and chip manufacturers have been struggling to meet this demand. (A single company, TSMC, makes roughly a quarter of the world's chips. And manufacturers from two Asian countries, South Korea and Taiwan, make the majority of them.) As a result, customers that can't get the products they want either have to wait—or pay more.

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Produced by: Alex Clark
Production Assistance: Christina Monnen

Music: APM

© WGBH Educational Foundation 2021