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The reasons behind the global semiconductor shortage, and the CHIPs plus bill : The Indicator from Planet Money The world runs on semiconductors. From cameras to cars, tiny chips power most electronic devices. So why do we have such a shortage of them?

The Indicator from Planet Money

The semiconductor shortage (still)

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Paddy Hirsch

, 

The semiconductor shortage (still)

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A new type of 300 millimeter wafer with semiconductor chips and finished microchips of the semiconductor German manufacturer Bosch is pictured in Dresden, eastern Germany on May 31, 2021. - The factory will officially open next week on June 7, 2021.
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JENS SCHLUETER/AFP via Getty Images
A new type of 300 millimeter wafer with semiconductor chips and finished microchips of the semiconductor German manufacturer Bosch is pictured in Dresden, eastern Germany on May 31, 2021. - The factory will officially open next week on June 7, 2021.
JENS SCHLUETER/AFP via Getty Images

From toothbrushes to cars, the world runs on semiconductor chips. And for a couple years now, there's been a global shortage.

Today on the show, we dig deep into the complex layers of the semiconductor industry. Walk with us through the arduous process of making a computer chip, and find out why this shortage is so hard to tackle. If you're interested in learning more, check out our episode on the revolutionary 'founding father' of the chip industry.

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