Polymers are macromolecules—in other words, they are really big molecules, and they are all around us. But as big as they are in the molecular world, we can’t actually see individual polymers with the naked eye, but we can see all the things made of polymers. Some polymers occur naturally, such as starch, protein, and cellulose. Starch, as you know, is found in many foods (who can resist the beloved starchy potato?). Cotton and wood are made of cellulose. And your silk dress or tie? Protein. A real cultural and commercial revolution came when chemists began to synthesize polymers in the lab. These polymers, appropriately called synthetic polymers, can be found in everything from plastic bags to rubber tires, from water-proof fabrics to cell phones. If you’ve heard of nylon, rayon, vinyl, Teflon, or Tupperware, then you’ve heard of polymers. "I just want to say one word to you, just one word.... Plastics." From the motion picture The Graduate (1967)		Getting Started To start exploring, just click the Time Line, Faces, or Resources buttons above. Within the Time Line, click any of the items along the time line and text will appear describing that historic achievement. Within the Faces section, scroll over any picture on the grid and get a brief description of what the person is known for; click the picture and see a larger image with a brief biography.