Aus den frühen Tagen der Makromolekularen Chemie

Most branches of science pass through a “pioneering period” where different concepts and approaches create, for a while, a turbulent atmosphere until, on the basis of new experimental evidence, clear and durable principles emerge, which lead to a broad and continuous growth of basic understanding and practical application. The author of this article recalls how, temporarily, conflicting ideas created confusion in the chemistry and technology of giant molecules before these disciplines developed into what they are now: indispensable contributors to the comfort, safety and expansion of our society from medicine to astronautics.