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Synthetic rubber was invented by an American chemist Charles Goodyear in the mid-19th century. Natural rubber is found in Southeast Asia, but during the Japanese occupation of much of Southeast Asia, there was a critical shortage. As a result, the demand for synthetic rubber grew. With rubber being essential for military vehicles, aircraft, and countless other wartime needs, the Allies found it challenging to ensure they had an adequate supply.

Fortunately, synthetic rubber offered an alternative to natural rubber as it was produced from petroleum-based materials through chemical processes. Its invention and widespread adoption helped the Allies during the Second World War. Its versatility and durability ensured the production of tires, seals, gaskets, and many other components for military vehicles and equipment.

Not much, most of oil goes into fuel, and what doesn't mostly goes into plastics.  Some is used to make syn rubber, yes, but we still use a lot of natural rubber in tires etc.  But we'd still need "oil" even if fuel is no longer needed from it.

I got into rubber chemistry a decent bit back in the day.  It's interesting stuff, based on isoprene, which is also the basis for terpenes like you find in conifers.  It has several ways to polymerize and can make biodegradable polymers.

I was watching a show over the weekend about some massive Roman construction project and it reminded me of a question.  My dad always used to ask how the Romans could do high level engineering using Roman Numerals.  

I think it is a fair question.  I mean, I can understand addition and subtraction in Roman Numerals but how do you do higher level math.  

Relatively simple example:
Say you need to know the area of a circle with a radius of 8 (doesn't matter 8 what, it could be 8 inches, 8 feet, 8 meters, 8 cubits, whatever).  We all know the formula is Pr*R squared.  So in modern numerals, 3.14*8^2 and it solves easily as:

• 8*8 is 64
• 64*3.14 is 200.96
• The area of a circle with a radius of 8 is about 201.  

Now try it as Pi*VIII to the II.  Where  do you even start?  


I know we have lots of engineers here such as @betarhoalphadelta but this question might be more up @847badgerfan 's alley since I think he is a civil engineer so the Roman-era designers of civil projects are his direct (by 2K+ years) occupational ancestors.  

Anybody know?

What changed what?  The whole oil thing really was started by the British navy when they shifted from using coal to fuel oil in their ships.  Then they got interested in the Middle East, and basically took much of it over in effect.  Then oil discovered in PA here started to replace whale oil in lamps etc.  Then cars happened and the ICE Vs took over from steam and EVs.  SO, you needed gasoline and lubricants, then airplanes happened, then WW One, then we all needed rubber,  it's all fascinating to me.

One of the most critical developments in history rarely mentioned is the Haber process developed in Germany because they lacked ready access to gunpowder and explosives, and fertilizer.  Modern civilization is heavily dependent on the Haber-Bosch process.

Haber-Bosch process | Definition, Conditions, Importance, & Facts | Britannica
Haber-Bosch process | Definition, Conditions, Importance, & Facts | Britannica

Roman Engineering - World History Encyclopedia

I suspect it was more ad hoc than calculated, trial an error, do it this way, it works, for whatever reason.