The Alchemy of Air A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery That Fed the World by Fueled the Rise of Hitler

A sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the Haber-Bosch discovery that changed billions of lives-including your own. At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster: Mass starvation 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 men who found it: brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, and saved millions of lives. But their epochal triumph came at a price we are still paying. The Haber-Bosch process was also used to make the gunpowder and explosives that killed millions during the two world wars. Both men were vilified during their lives; both, disillusioned and disgraced, died tragically. The Alchemy of Air is the extraordinary, previously untold story of a discovery that changed the way we grow food and the way we make war-and that promises to continue shaping our lives in fundamental and dramatic ways.

ISBN:	9780307351791
Publisher:	Crown
Imprint:	Crown
Published date:	18 Aug 2009
DEWEY:	540.92244
DEWEY edition:	23
Language:	English
Sales rank:	7100
Number of pages:	316
Weight:	254g
Height:	133mm
Width:	204mm
Spine width:	14mm

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