MEPX
Chapter 8 of 10All chapters
  1. 1How invention happens
  2. 2Ancient technologies
  3. 3Printing and paper
  4. 4Power and machines
  5. 5Medical breakthroughs
  6. 6Communication
  7. 7Computing
  8. 8Feeding more people
  9. 9Scientific discoveries
  10. 10Credit and consequences

Chapter 8 of 10

Feeding more people

Chemistry and breeding.

Nitrogen

The Haber-Bosch process fixes atmospheric nitrogen into fertiliser. A large share of the nitrogen in human bodies today passed through it.

  • It also enabled explosives production at industrial scale.
  • Fertiliser runoff is now a major environmental problem.

The green revolution

High yielding varieties, irrigation and mechanisation raised output enormously from the 1960s, averting predicted famines while increasing input dependence.