Haber-Bosch Process

The Haber-Bosch process, synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen, sustains nearly half the global population through industrial fertilizer production. Developed by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch in the early 20th century, this breakthrough fixed over 100 million tons of nitrogen annually by 2021, outpacing #4 Vulcanization of Rubber in direct human impact. Experts estimate it enables food for 4 billion people, a scale unmatched by any other chemical innovation.