While the topic of electrochromism – the evocation or alteration of colour by passing a current or applying a potential – has a history dating back to the nineteenth century, only in the last quarter of the twentieth century has its study gained a real impetus. So, applications have hitherto been limited, apart from one astonishing success, that of the Gentex Corporation's self-darkening rear-view mirrors now operating on several million cars. Now they have achieved a telling next step, a contract with Boeing to supply adjustably darkening windows in a new passenger aircraft. The ultimate goal of contemporary studies is the provision of large-scale electrochromic windows for buildings at modest expenditure which, applied widely in the USA, would save billions of dollars in air-conditioning costs. In tropical and equatorial climes, savings would be proportionally greater: Singapore for example spends one quarter of its GDP (gross domestic product) on air conditioning, a sine qua non for tolerable living conditions there. Another application, to display systems, is a further goal, but universally used liquid crystal displays present formidable rivalry. However, large-scale screens do offer an attractive scope where liquid crystals might struggle, and electrochromics should almost certainly be much more economical than plasma screens. Numerous other applications have been contemplated. There is thus at present a huge flurry of activity to hit the jackpot, attested by the thousands of patents on likely winners.