Vulcanization marked the birth of the modern rubber industry, and although later discoveries have modified Goodyear's original procedure, today it remains essentially the same as his process of 1839. (Note: to read more about vulcanization, see the section 'Charles Goodyear' under the tab 'Important People'). Now a day our society uses rubber for things from car tires, to hair ties, to shoes, and rain jackets.People have turned the simple commodity into more than just an essential material to living life, but it has also developed uses in a way of sports, or competition. The biggest rubber band ball was created by Joel Waul in 2008 in Florida, USA. It weighed a whopping 9,400 pounds, exceeded 8 feet in height, and consisted of more than 700,000 rubber bands! In 2007, about 13.6 million tons of synthetic rubber was produced, mostly in the United States, Europe and Asia. With many more examples such as the previous ones, it is evident that rubber is more than just an privilege or bonus, it is a commodity that has evolved into something the modern world would not be able to function without. Thanks to all the contributed work from the many scientists who applied their knowledge to inventing and improving this material, rubber will be a commodity that will be used and produced for years and years to come.