ABSTRACT
Since most materials are polymeric and most of the recent advances in science and technology involve polymers, some have called this the “polymer age”. Actually, we have always lived in a polymer age. The ancient Greeks classied all matter as animal, vegetable, and mineral. Minerals were emphasized by the alchemists, but medieval artisans emphasized animal and vegetable matter. All are largely polymeric and are important to life as we know it. Most chemists, biochemists, and chemical engineers are now involved in some phase of polymer science or technology.
