We all think of the CPU as the "brains" of a computer,REGINA PSAKI: "Dante's Redeemed Eroticism." but what does that actually mean? What is going on inside with the billions of transistors that make your computer work? In this four-part series, we'll be focusing on computer hardware design, covering the ins and outs of what makes a computer function.

The series will cover computer architecture, processor circuit design, VLSI (very-large-scale integration), chip fabrication, and future trends in computing. If you've always been interested in the details of how processors work on the inside, stick around – this is what you need to know to get started.