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The Alchemy of Air
The Alchemy of Air: A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery That Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler | Thomas Hager
5 posts | 4 read | 18 to read
A sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the discovery that changed billions of lives—including your own. At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster. Mass starvation, long predicted for the fast-growing population, was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution. This is the story of the two enormously gifted, fatally flawed men who found it: the brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and the reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, controlled world markets, and saved millions of lives. Their invention continues to feed us today; without it, more than two billion people would starve. But their epochal triumph came at a price we are still paying. The Haber-Bosch process was also used to make the gunpowder and high explosives that killed millions during the two world wars. Both men were vilified during their lives; both, disillusioned and disgraced, died tragically. Today we face the other un­intended consequences of their discovery—massive nitrogen pollution and a growing pandemic of obesity. The Alchemy of Air is the extraordinary, previously untold story of two master scientists who saved the world only to lose everything and of the unforseen results of a discovery that continues to shape our lives in the most fundamental and dramatic of ways.
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larah17
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. A book essentially based around the invention of the Haber-Bosch process to turn atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia - it doesn‘t sound like a page turner! But it is so, so well written that it‘s very hard to put down once you start. I really can not recommend this book highly enough, if you‘re any way interested in science and/or history, I‘m sure you‘ll love this!

mhillis Great review! 7y
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larah17
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This book was left anonymously on my desk at work about 2 years ago, and I never looked at it until this morning, while waiting for things to defrost in the lab. I‘ve only started it but it‘s excellent!

Cinfhen Sounds fascinating!! Will be checking for your review!!! 7y
Laura317 I wish books appeared on my desk! 7y
MiyakoBunny Book fairies 😻 7y
Ms_T Everyone loves a book fairy! 7y
larah17 @Laura317 @MiyakoBunny @Ms_T I‘ve since found the culprit responsible 😂 @Cinfhen hopefully I won‘t take too long to read it (but based on my recent readings speeds it‘s not looking good 😫) 7y
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Exlibrisbitsy
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A fascinating look at mankinds first brush with mass starvation and our first oil crisis and how German chemists worked together to create a cutting edge scientific solution that saved the world but had devastating consequences. I did not realize Jewish German scientists created so much of the technology that Hitler used, right down to the gas used in his chambers at Ausvitch. Fascinating reading with a tragic ending.

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Exlibrisbitsy
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Switching for a bit to The Alchemy of Air, this book is blowing my mind! #readathon

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Exlibrisbitsy
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Fascinating book about the invention that changed the way we grow food and make war. Saving humanity from mass starvation came with a terrible price.

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