The synthesis of ammonia from its elements belongs to the opposite class of discoveries—those with a clearly defined goal pursued by some of the best-qualified scientists and eventually reached by a persevering researcher. The need for this breakthrough was obvious. Between 1850 and 1900 the total population of the industrializing countries of Europe and North America grew from 300 million to 500 million, and rapid urbanization helped to drive a dietary transition from a barely adequate grain-dominated supply to generally higher food energy intakes containing more animal products and
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