The Alchemy of the Air by Thomas Hager
The Alchemy of the Air
Thomas Hager’s book may have been one of my favorite non-fiction reads. The topic is fairly niche: this book is about the history of the Haber-Bosch process, a technique which allows us to fix nitrogen from the air. This process is essential to sustaining life on earth via fertilization of agriculture.
Scientific Achievement and Human Stories
The description of the development of the process - the chemistry and engineering challenges - are fascinating, and worth reading themselves. But the real appeal of this book was the stories of the real people involved.
The book spans a fair bit of history, but the primary story is about German scientists and engineers in the early 20th century and up to WWII. The stories of the men involved are gripping, and quite tragic.
Historical Context
The book provides deep insight into how scientific discoveries happen in the context of their time - influenced by war, nationalism, personal ambition, and economic pressures. The Haber-Bosch process literally changed the course of history, enabling both increased food production and new explosives during wartime.