Dream to reality?

Presenter: Susan Mossman

Published: December 2012

Age: 18-22 and upwards

Views: 607 views

Tags: plastic

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: Royal Society

Plastics pioneers had great aspirations for their new materials. Roland Barthes called plastics “a miraculous substance . . . a transformation of nature”. Serendipity, careful experimentation and entrepreneurial skills have all played significant roles in the development of modern plastics. This presentation will assess whether the visions of key early pioneers such as Leo Baekeland have been realised today.