Alchemy Of Air: A Jewish Genius, A Doomed Tycoon, And The Scientific Discovery That Fed The World But Fueled The Rise Of Hitler (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
Fascinating book about the discovery and implementation of an industrial process to fix nitrogen from air under high pressure and heat. The process allowed Germany to produce fertilizer, explosives, and poison gas to both help and harm the earths quickly expanding human population. Haber the scientist and Bosch the industrialist together perfect the process while working for BASF chemical company at the turn of the 20th century. It allows Germany to become independent from the Peruvian and Chilian monopoly of natural bird waste fertilizers. Not only did it allow them to produce food more efficiently and cheaper, but it gave Germany the ability to create explosives and poison gas to prolong World WarI. Their discovery was better than anything available at the time. The dichotomy of both feeding and destroying life with this discovery leads to a moral dilemma for the inventors which is fueled by monetary greed and loyalty to the German fatherland. In addition it also gives Hitler the ability to produce gasoline and aviation fuel through a similar high pressure and heat process using Germany's abundant coal resources. This allows him to start and sustain a second world war. The Haber Bosch process is the most widely used method to produce fixed nitrogen in all industrialized countries. This book only touched on the science of making ammonia, and thus fertilizer and bombs, by pulling the nitrogen out of the atmosphere, which was equally as interesting as the two men behind the Haber-Bosch invention. A good, quick read for irony appreciating nerds (the Haber-Bosch process has killed millions via explosives and fed billions via fertilizer). The men Hager profiles were interesting, dedicated men and flawed geniuses.
What do You think about Alchemy Of Air: A Jewish Genius, A Doomed Tycoon, And The Scientific Discovery That Fed The World But Fueled The Rise Of Hitler (2014)?
Demon Under the Microscope was much more exciting, but this is still a well written book.
—Kenz
I usually am not crazy about history books but this was fascinating
—abby
my dad gave this to my zaydie and my zaydie gave it to me.
—HKS
crazy how interesting and easy this book was to read.
—Charlie
I had to take notes to keep the characters straight.
—gabby
