What on earth that means: Tempering is a thermal treatment that increases the strength and durability of glass. How it works? The glass is heated to temperatures of over 1,000°F, than rapidly cooled. This causes the surface to contract more quickly than the center.

The result: The next time your overly excited pup knocks a plate onto the kitchen floor, the glass won’t shatter into thousands of impossible-to-pick-up pieces. Instead, if it does break, it will crack clearly into a few solid large ones. So recall the evacuation – there’s still dessert to eat.

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