Man Made World

Science and Technology Improving understanding of the natural and man-made world, the fruits of science and technology, and their use in a valuable and responsible way, and... 

Robert, M. ( 99 ). Living in a man-made world. London Routledge. 

Source Engineering Concepts Curriculum Project, The Man Made World A Course on the Theories and Techniques That Contribute to Our Technological Civilization, vol. 1 (New York McGraw-Hill, 1969), 23. 

In the second quarter of the twentieth century, with the development of poly(vinyl chloride), nylon, polyurethane, and other polymers, many new and improved leather-like materials, so-called coated fabrics (qv), were placed on the market. Shortages of leather after World War 11 led to the expansion of these leather-like materials ("man-made" leathers) to replace leather in shoes, clothing, bags, upholstery, and other items. DurabiUty and waterproof quahties superior to leather made coated fabrics advantageous, in spite of imperfection in breathabihty and flexibiUty. Demands for shoes, clothing, and other items are stiU increasing due to growing world population and urbanization. 

The production of man-made leather has increased rapidly due to its high quaUty (Table 5). Production was first started in Japan, and is expanding to the world. Up to 90% is produced in the Far East, and approximately 50% is exported to the United States and European countries. 

Within the constraints of this article it is impossible to be comprehensive in the coverage of the subject matter, in terms of the chemicals involved and in the widely varying practices and areas of the world in which the title compounds are ingested by farmed animals. This account is, however, intended to give an overview, citing some relevant examples, of the beneficial and adverse effects, in animals and on the environment, of man-made compounds and naturally produced compounds in extensive and commercial production systems. 

The discovery and development of polypropylene, the one genuinely new large tonnage thermoplastics material developed since World War II, forms part of what is arguably the most important episode in the history of polymer science. For many years it had been recognised that natural polymers were far more regular in their structure than synthetic polymers. Whilst there had been some improvement in controlling molecular architecture, the man-made materials, relative to the natural materials, were structurally crude. 

Sulfur dioxide Is formed primarily from the Industrial and domestic combustion of fossil fuels. On a global scale, man-made emissions of SOj are currently estimated to be 160-180 million tons per year. These emissions slightly exceed natural emissions, largely from volcanic sources. The northern hemisphere accounts for approximately 90% of the man-made emissions (13-14). Over the past few decades global SOj emissions have risen by approximately 4%/year corresponding to the Increase In world energy consumption. 

A second sun, powerful and man-made, was born on July 16, 1945. A ball of fire thousands of times hotter than the surface of the real sun illuminated the New Mexico desert. Its birthplace was the Trinity site, and the explosion was the culmination of years of work by the world s brightest scientists. It was the planet s first atomic bomb, the tangible and frightening outcome of splitting the nucleus of an atom. 

This term was originally intended to denote all kinds of man-made textile fibres, but is now applied only to cellulose types. Viscose rayon (regenerated from a solution of cellulose xanthate in sodium hydroxide) accounts for the greater part of world rayon production. Acetate rayon and cuprammonium rayon are relatively unimportant. 

Core problems Climate change Loss of biodiversity Soil degradation Scarcity and pollution of freshwater i Threats to world health Threats to food security Population growth and distribution Man-made disasters Over exploitation and pollution of the world s oceans Global disparities in development... 

Figure 12.1 World production of man-made fibers, shown by fiber class, illustrating the historical growth of PET fibers (PES is synonymous with PET) [1]. From Int. Fiber J., 15(3), p. 8 (2000), with permission from the International Media Group, Inc.

Polyester fibers represent the most important group of man-made fibers. With an annual production volume of 19.2 Mt, polyester fibers hold second position in world production of textile fibers [10]. Polyester is usually dyed with disperse dyes. 

Anon. World production 59 million tons textile flbres. In Man-Made Fibre Year Book IBP, International Business Press Publisher Frankfurt a.M., Germany, August 2002 21. 

During past eras, mass mortalities were followed by a rapid recovery of biodiversity (Courtillot 1996). Now, however, mass mortality is man-made. For the first time the causes of biodiversity-loss are not temporary as in previous catastrophes. The demographic increase and escalation in the utilization of natural resources pose an increasing menace to biodiversity. Therefore, any prospect about natural product diversity in the far future is difficult to make. Views are pessimistic, unless we imagine a world populated by microbes that have survived the catastrophe or have mutated. Microbial life is typically rich in unusual secondary metabolites. 

---