Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a diverse …

Mar 6, 2026 · plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.

Sep 8, 2025 · Plastic pollution is growing a threat to ecosystems, the climate and our own health. What can be done to prevent it?

Oct 31, 2025 · Plastic products are generally versatile, durable and lightweight. Plastic products are prominent in the construction, transportation, and packaging industries. Plastic innovations …

Nov 18, 2025 · Plastic coverage from Scientific American, featuring news and articles about advances in the field.

Mar 26, 2026 · Plastic has many valuable uses in our daily lives, but our current production and consumption practices and levels pose threats to our health and environment. Plastic pollution poses …

Oct 19, 2023 · From polymers to nurdles, learn how plastic is created and what we can do to slow the lasting repercussions this material will have on both our planet and our lives.

Plastic materials and products play an important part in cutting-edge technologies used in the space program, in bulletproof vests and even prosthetic limbs. The term “plastics” includes materials …

In this article, we'll examine the chemistry of plastic, how it's made, how it's used, and how it's disposed of and recycled. We'll also look at some new biologically based plastics and their role in the future of …

Plastic is a word that originally meant “pliable and easily shaped.” It only recently became a name for a category of materials called polymers. The word polymer means “of many parts,” and polymers are …