The Dual Nature of Scientific Discovery

The invention of a process to create fertilizer was originally intended to solve the problem of feeding a growing population, but it was quickly weaponized for warfare. This dual nature of the invention led to both the advancement of agriculture and the rise of Hitler. Without this invention, Hitler may have been defeated much earlier. The book delves into the context of the invention, beginning with a lecture in 1898 that highlighted the urgent need to find alternative ways to feed Europe's growing population. The lecture served as a call to action for prominent scientists of the time.