Hermann Staudinger. From H. Staudinger, H. Mark, and K. H. Meyer: Thesen zur Grösse u. Struktur d. Makromoleküle: Ursachen u. Hintergründe e. adadem, by Claus Priesner. Courtesy Wiley-VCH Publishers.		Staudinger’s macromolecular theory In early 20th century a German scientist named Hermann Staudinger (1881–1965) challenged the aggregate theory of polymers. Starting around 1920, Staudinger argued that natural polymers were made of giant chainlike molecules, rather than aggregates of small molecules that give the false impression of giant molecules. He called his giant molecules macromolecules. Staudinger was unpopular in his home country because of his outspoken criticism of Germany’s use of poison gas in World War I, and his ideas were rejected by many in the German scientific community, which at the time supported the aggregate theory. Staudinger would spend 15 years gathering evidence for his theory and arguing for its acceptance by the scientific community. He would find support in the work of Wallace Carothers (1896–1937).