| Summary: | Synthetic giant molecules have revolutionized the technology of the world. The ability of chemists to design giant molecules, or polymers, to meet specific needs, and then to produce them according to plan, has led to an avalanche of new products with qualities that could never be duplicated with natural materials. Almost every aspect of contemporary life-from space flight to oceanography, from surgery to agriculture, from electronic computers to suburban homes - reflects this scientific breakthrough which began just three quarters of a century ago. This book tells the story of man-made giant molecules, of the centuries of progress in chemistry that led to their creation during the past several decades. Each text chapter has asupplementary picture essay that may be read independently. For example, Chapter 7, "Molecules Made to Order," deals with chemists' ability to make polymers with almost any desired characteristics; it precedes a picture essay, "Plastics' New Bag of Tricks," which shows the spectacular properties of many of these synthetics.
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