Mega molecules. (Grosse Moleküle). Tales of adhesives, bread, diamonds, eggs, fibers, foams, gelatin, leather, meat, plastics, resists, rubber, ... and cabbages and kings

All life is based on big molecules, scientifically called "mac­ romolecules". Humans, animals, and plants cease to exist without these structural, reserve, and transport molecules. No life can be propagated without macromolecular DNA and RNA. Without macromolecules, we would only dine on water, sugars, fats, vitamins and salts but had to relinquish meat, eggs, cereals, vegetables, and fruits. We would not live in houses since wood and many stones consist of macromole­ cules. Without macromolecules, no clothes since all fibers are made from macromolecules. No present-day car could run: All tires are based on macromolecules. Without macromole­ cules no photographic films, no electronics ... If macromolecules are so important then why is commonly so little known about their roles and why are they so little mentioned in school, if at all? As often in human history, tra­ dition is important and science makes no exception. Chemis­ try was established as the chemistry of low molecular weight compounds since these were most easy to investigate, charac­ terize, and convert. A beautiful tower of thought was erected by the chemical sciences long before the idea of giant mole­ cules, macromolecules, took hold. There was no space for newcomers in this tower. Even today one can learn about chemistry without hearing a word about macromolecules. Front Matter....Pages I-XIII Genuine Plastics and Other Natural Products....Pages 1-5 In the Beginning was the Deed....Pages 6-13 How Big is Big?....Pages 14-25 False Doctrines....Pages 26-39 The Mysterious Crazy Glue....Pages 40-58 Corn Syrup and Hi-Tech....Pages 59-68 Engine Oils and Vanilla Sauces....Pages 69-81 Screwing Up Things....Pages 82-101 Spiders, Weavers, and Webs....Pages 102-118 How to Iron Correctly....Pages 119-126 From Cheap Substitutes to High Performance Materials....Pages 127-138 Everything Flows....Pages 139-154 In and Out....Pages 155-172 Charges and Currents....Pages 173-183 Erratum To: False Doctrines....Pages 184-184 Erratum To: Screwing Up Things....Pages 185-185 Erratum To: How to Iron Correctly....Pages 186-186 Erratum To: Everything Flows....Pages 187-187 Erratum To: In and Out....Pages 188-188 Erratum To: Charges and Currents....Pages 189-189 Back Matter....Pages 184-202