The Invention of Nitrogen - The Revolution that Fed the World
In 1905, two German chemists, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, created the process for manufacturing nitrogen, which is commonly used in agriculture today. They revolutionized life on earth and fed the planet. Nitrogen is also used to produce explosives. Thomas Hager's sensational "The Alchemy of Air: The Scientific Discovery that Fed the World, but fueled the Rise of Hitler", tells how they won the Nobel Prize, but brought down the Third Reich.
Top Recommendation for November
The Alchemy of Air: The Scientific Discovery that Fed the World, but Fueled the Rise of Hitler, Thomas Hager (Sept, 2021 - 368pp)
Today the world's agriculture runs on nitrogen. But, in 1905, it was not so easy to come by. German chemist Fritz Haber invented the process for creating it, and Carl Bosch created the manufacturing process. Nitrogen is also used in the production of explosives and by World War II, Germany had created a 3 square mile production facility with 35,000 workers - a key target of Allied bombing.