The World's Greatest Fix: A History of Nitrogen and Agriculture

About this book

In the tradition of Jared Diamonds Guns Germs and Steel this gives the very early history of how human ingenuity overcame the risk of famine through productive agriculture. Starting with a laymans guide to the chemistry of nitrogen fixation the book goes on to show how humans emerged from nomadic lifestyles and began developing towns and settlements. When they for the first time began planting the same fields year after year they noticed quickly the need to ensure soil fertility. But how? The method they came up with is still in use to this day.