The chemical reaction that feeds the world - Daniel D. Dulek

[@roeebaer]

The Haber process included an iron catalyst. This was the essential element. He won the nobel prize for feeding the world.

[@prelawnoob]

Fed the world by ways of science

[@12-j3melendezaeronjirob.3]

@@prelawnoob Sinner or a saint?

[@matteloht]

Well, not quite. Haber originally used Osmium and Uran as catalysts but the process was developed further by scientist and engineers of the chemical company BASF that 1st used an iron oxide mixed catalyst.

[@RealC1e1]

@@12-j3melendezaeronjirob.3 Father of toxic gas and chemical warfare

[@CarwynAndrews]

His dark creation has been revealed

[@KimJong7hrill]

It's amazing that bacteria can fix nitrogen more efficiently with a simple enzyme (nitrogenase) than the Haber process can with it's extremely high pressures and temperatures. This is pretty profound and, as a microbiologist, it is one of the things that amazes me most about microbes.

[@nazzzirismail]

the Haber process actually wants to be at the lowest possible temperature as the forward reaction is endothermic

[@danielcreatd872]

@@nazzzirismail The Haber process could theoretically run at a lower temperature, and while that would be better from an equilibrium point perspective, the reaction speed would be slowed down significantly. Bacteria fixing nitrogen isn't that efficient when you consider the slow speed.

[@nazzzirismail]

@@danielcreatd872 no yeah youre right but just in general terms equilibrium lies to the left at high temperatures in the Haber process :)

[@andrewdoesyt7787]

Then why don’t we industrially produce ammonia from bacteria?

[@richards-c1682]

If I copy and paste this on my GCSE chemistry, will I get a 9?

[@simply-FBI]

Richard S-C yes... 9/100

[@joem7188]

Richard S-C 😂

[@최고존엄김허수]

and now our GCSE is gone BOOM T_T

[@mrvaratharajan8069]

You won't!

[@MrMischelito]

You shouldn't, because it is very inaccurate and at some times even wrong. I usually expect more from Ted-Ed.

[@bleachfan48]

this is my favorite TED video of all time, so informative and effective

[@jialugu8352]

can not agree more,.this process also can make nitric acid ,and nitric acid can be use to make smokeless gunpowder

[@abdulhaif9112]

jialu gu The process that is used to produce nitric acid from ammonia is called Ostwald process.

[@mrvaratharajan8069]

Really?!

[@MrMischelito]

Mostly, it is scientifically really inaccurate and at some times very wrong, but maybe it helps make the concept easier to grasp for casuals/non-chemists. Yes, it is very fascinating technology, but unfortunatly much of the energy that is put into making ammonia (and the Haber-Bosch process needs a lot (!) of energy) is simply converted to "bio"-fuels which makes them very not "green" besides adding to the very problematic pollution of water bodies (mentioned in the clip) and problematic extend of transformation of free land and forests into farmland.

[@Ishfaqbukhari]

I was trying to understand what haber's process and got tired, so I went to take a break and found this video!!!! Now I understand way better!!! THANKS!!

[@G33KST4R]

After such an uplifting and impressive video, I was not expecting it to get really dark at the end.

[@matt5283]

Really well made video, interesting historical insight too. Thank you TED and keep up the good work.

[@Ariadne4]

This really helped me for my chemistry presentation on Haber process. Thankyou so much. I wish you could do one for Ostwald and Contact as well

[@nilockin]

GREAT to see a break from the animation from Ted-Ed, not to mention the informative video

[@chrs_tub3203]

That video is awesome! Thanks to the creators: They explained such a difficult topic so well!

[@cjrafhmmd]

watching this before my final chemistry exam really helped

[@nordicnostalgia8106]

Haber wasn't the first to create artificial fertilizer. That credit goes to Kristian Birkeland with the invention of the Birkeland-Eyde process creating nitric acid also taking nitrogen from the air. Problem is that it takes a large amounts of electricity. Haber's method was a lot more cost efficient.

[@IJRPUBLIC]

Please add nitrogen or Harber or fertilizer to the title of this lesson so more people can find this video. It is very hard to find but very well done.

[@claramiller6336]

I feel like this is missing an important footnote on Fritz Haber

[@jamesjeffery1686]

HA

[@MegaSirpaul]

Haha, only showing one side of the Fritz Haber story.

[@renameagain5808]

Explain

[@我爱猪肉]

@@renameagain5808 Fritz Haber developed chemical weapons for the Germans

[@faxingitin]

Gas, chemicals, ww1, Ww2….. connect the dots….

[@alphaskittle3337]

Your videos are very informative, helpful and fun to learn with outstanding visuals!

[@beeryye]

In addition the the problems stated, the use of fertilizer after WWII largely contributes to the continuing decline of bee populations which could threaten our food production in the near-ish future. So while it was great for a while, it was something instated at the same time that we used nuclear weaponry without fully knowing long term effects. Sound familiar?

[@AlfredFJones1776]

Father of toxic gas, and chemical warfare His dark creation has been revealed Flow over no man’s land, a poisonous nightmare A deadly mist on the battlefield

[@boris001000]

bruh nice!

[@FloofyTanker]

Sabaton 🤟

[@jeschinstad]

Here's a fun story for you. Haber didn't invent the concept. The concept was invented by Kristian Birkeland and Sam Eyde in Norway in 1903, known as the Birkeland-Eyde process. It needed a lot of electrical power, so after our liberation in 1905, Eyde convinced the Norwegian government to go big on hydroelectric power, because this would be an endless resource since the water will keep flowing and people will need food. We therefore knew that the hydroelectric power had to remain the property of the people. But in 1910, the Haber-Bosch process was invented and it was much more energy efficient. So suddenly Norway had a lot more power than we needed and that could be used for hydrogen and aluminium and Norwegian industry could flourish. Then in the late 1960s, we found oil and gas and because of the decision we made with the hydroelectric power, we nationalized the oil as we had with the waterfalls before. So actually, the reason why Norway is the richest country in the world, is not the oil and gas, but the invention of artificial fertilizer.

[@jechero4e16]

Very nicely presented, the mind is so intricately made and to think we don't even tap all it's resources. Thank God for the human mind how it is use for the greater benefit of their fellow human beings...

[@koningsbruggen]

Perfect video. Really explains it well.

[@roel719]

Haber was a genius, but lets not forget that he's also remembered as the father of chemical warfare. Without Haber's work, we wouldn't have goodies such as nerve agents and CX.

[@verycalmman]

based

[@stephenordog3192]

Great video, very informative, good science. Not sure about the end though: 'Haber did not foresee this problem when he introduced his invention...' It should be noted that Haber used his talents and discoveries to lead the German war effort in WWI, including vigorously pioneering and championing the chemical warfare program.

[@amisawsan]

yeah but he did not know his invention would eventually lead to that

[@stephenordog3192]

You can’t ignore the intent here. His research was predicated on producing explosives and chemical warfare weapons for a fascist army. He should not be glorified for his discovery, no matter how it has benefited society.

[@udith]

@@stephenordog3192 But Germany in ww1 was not fascist. Infact it was better than UK

[@musiccer7446]

@@stephenordog3192 Germany in WW1 really wasn’t worse then it’s enemies. They didn’t even start the war. Fascist Germany was ww2 not ww1

[@leetaylor1593]

@@stephenordog3192 Bruh, fascist Germany literally kicked him out out he program and his country because he was BORN Jewish. The country he lost everything for in WW1 stabbed him in the back in WW2.

[@pearldataconsultancyservices]

All this while I thought his name was pronounced "hey-bur"

[@tchaivorakfauresohnsieg9532]

Germans pronounce 'a' as aa and mostly r is silent in german language

[@PigeonLaughter01]

I remember meeting ppl from a rural farming town in Mexico, they had so much nitrogen in their water that the whites of their eyes were actually sky blue. With their help, we all building a new well, up stream from their crops and cattle to deliver uncontaminated water.

[@77Fmydog]

why have i been watching ted x videos for years and never knew this channel was a thing! im glad i found it.

[@princesinggh]

My favourite video of TED

[@nishantvishwakarma1471]

An Informative Masterpiece !! Ted Ed's Animation is so good

[@Altorin]

let's not pretend fritz haber was a great man trying to save the world through creating fertilizer. He was much more interested in turning the nitrogen into bomb making materials. that point aside, it was a pretty good video. I've not seen the process so eloquently explained.

[@funestis]

Not only that, he was advocate for using the chemical weapons in 1st WW and developed him self few weapons and methods to deploy those, he have the infamous title of Father of Chemical Warfare. Non the less the Haber Process is one of greatest inventions of all times and that Nobel Prize went in the right hands regardless that those hands were drenched in blood at later time.

[@ryandean3162]

funestis Actually, he won the Nobel Prize after WWI and all the chemical warfare stuff.

[@funestis]

Ryan Dean thanks for correction :D I checked, so he won the prize in 1918 and received it in 1919.

[@alexiamathew6815]

this video is awesome it explained what the harbour process was to me so clearly

[@apetiteindian2634]

the most beautiful and interesting educational video i have seen so far!!!

[@konghengleong5275]

Haber process~! chemical equation that feed the world~ Amazing~!

[@jarrodjames1820]

Also killed millions which he neglected to say

[@annazhang9342]

Zefall arise yet again by this necromancer

[@annazhang9342]

Zefall no problem, abracadabra always my guy

[@perrymraz9948]

What sorcery is happening here😂😂😂😅

[@walikazmi7613]

@@jarrodjames1820 ah yes

[@nickolasmetreveli280]

This video summed up what i learned in chem and bio today.Great vid!

[@wjolly1824]

As a farmer I'm glad to see someone that understands what we do is important..

[@johnnymitchellcollier]

thanks for all you do my man

[@naveensundar4765]

one of the best ted vid.

[@FatemePoorsharbafGhavi]

Nicely explained.

[@zuhabilal3309]

and that is why kids, you dont waste food it takes a lot of work

[@mojojojo8631]

chemistry is probably the most beautiful subject

[@HiteshChavda]

great use of focus in video! Liked

[@jimtomo9207]

Surprised Ted has kept the video on KZbin

[@ZLcomedickings]

Regenerative agriculturists would say that the Haber process was the worst thing to happen to the world. Many would claim that inorganic fertilizers are killing the earths soils in the long term, causing global warming, and will ultimately cause worldwide famine.

[@Ydnar1155]

Hungry people do not invent and study, few people are content with plenty. As one one once said "necessity is the mother of invention" What was neglected in this video is that ammonia is and awesome refrigerant albeit somewhat noxious but much more environmentally friendly than Freon. Weigh the balance and I believe it a net positive that allows humans to grow, explore, expand and potentially derive the new frontiers that our descendants will prosper from.

[@Julika7]

The video is made great, but I miss the mentioning of the uncertainty if fertilizer is really necessary. Cause as you say the gross of it is washed away and thus gone for good - or rather for bad.

[@n6djs]

very cool background for graphic at 3:33

[@user-lv4ce1vp5o]

Hi

[@niaverma3546]

THANK YOU TED ED

[@MrGrodskiChemistry]

This a great lesson in equilibrium, LeChatelier’s principle, and fixing nitrogen, unfortunately the video did not nearly tell the entire story. First a catalyst was needed along with the other “stressors” like increasing the concentration of the reactants and increasing the pressure (that was mentioned) to make the reaction viable because the Keq for the reaction is very small (~ 10^-5) It would of been great to mention how Haber overcame this? The reaction is exothermic so why did he still use a higher temperature?? So much meat that was left on the bone especially THE HISTORY! Fritz Haber was after making more bombs which requires natural forms of nitrates like ammonium nitrate to be mined that his country was exhausted. Because of the naval blockade on Germany, his country could not import the necessary raw ingredients, especially from places like Peru so the WWI was going to end earlier for Germany if Haber did not figure out how to make nitrates out of the nitrogen that was in the air. Ammonia once made is easily converted to the explosive nitrates used in ammunition and bombs. His main goal was to feed the war machine not the population. The result of it leading to fertilizers is great contribution to society but not Haber’s primary reason for developing the process. Haber was about winning the war so that there might be a time to use the new fertilizers feed his countries growing population in the future. His Nobel Prize was controversial because he extended WWI and thousands more suffered on both sides but his process would prevent massive world hunger in future. Great video on the selected topics that wanted to be highlighted but so much more could have been taught in chemistry and in history. Sometimes they just need to taught together.

[@arishanawaz2296]

where can I get that background music

[@firebear4]

Of course Haber knew the value large scale synthesis of ammonia would be to agriculture. During WWI the priority was ammonium nitrate, (NH4)(NO3) for explosives. Prior to Haber-Bosch (NH4)(NO3) was produced from guano. In fact battles were fought for Pacific and Atlantic islands with large deposits during and many years prior to WWI. Industrial production was immensely more cost effective than hauling thousands of tons of guano thousands of miles. Gunpowder was without question the motivation for Haber-Bosch in 1913. Post WWI BASF became the first large scale manufacturer of agricultural (NH4)(NO3). Jay Wilkins

[@BenignGamer]

Thing is, Haber didn't develop this way of making nitrate for crops, he made it to be used in gunpowder for Germany during WWI.

[@saarbrooklynrider2277]

1908 is not 1914

[@tanyay1073]

I'm hungry now!!! 😫

[@vgoated.524]

its been 4 years have u ate yet ?

[@rithvikO_o]

@@vgoated.524 lmao fr

[@rossjennings4755]

Your little purple and gold bars at 2:30 are misleading. The graph on the top correctly shows that the amount of ammonia never actually decreases, it just stops increasing. But the little gold bar on the right, which presumably represents the same thing, goes down.

[@europa_bambaataa]

3:45 "if you're in a crowded room, sets of two people just started merging into one, most natural thing in the world"

[@ninfa_artesanosdelazucar]

La creación no es un acto de casualidad estos procesos naturales tienen su respaldo que recaen en la responsabilidad humana somos hijos de la tierra por eso desarrollamos tecnologias verdes para ayudar a restablecer el equilibrio o acaso pensamos que esto no estaba previsto 7000 millones que alimentar o más....mis respetos.

[@vishank7]

That was sooo Beautiful!💎💎💎

[@aadhanoli]

What are the conditions required to maximize the yield of Ammonia??

[@emankhalid8279]

all ur videos are so helpful i have my ig's after a week and seriously thanks to u i am enjoying studying!!

[@user-bn8pg7os8d]

A long ago in eastern Prussia Young men with great ambitions rise So who can tell me who can say for sure Which one will win the Nobel Prize?

[@greenageguy]

Awesome video.....

[@hongloon9266]

Ikr Altorin

[@malevip]

Thnx a lot!!! Really helped!

[@Sa-fd7ih]

Music is too loud and distracting

[@vellichor1457]

Beautiful video

[@faizarafique7666]

thank you so much

[@TheLastLogicalOne]

Plants actually can take nitrogen out of the air. Many plants in the Fabaceae family have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen sequesting bacteria.

[@scottseptember1992]

Beautiful...just beautiful. Great job!

[@vgoated.524]

7 years ago 😳

[@jayeshchourasiya7115]

Dude, 1 2 3 You Rock ! Awesomely Boomed My Mind Within JUST A Flick ? I Directly Learned Each & Every Step Showned :) :P

[@EggiTheShadow]

Actually it wasn't that great, he didn't explain how the 3 different different reactions occurred in the machine at 3:53, and that's the most important part!

[@rubyausten1463]

somehow this made the seemingly most boring topic in gcse chemistry actually interesting. amazing.

[@mennamosaad5717]

Here at 2020 !

[@SpinyNormanDinsdale]

The video didn't mention the dark side of Fritz Haber, but maybe it could be squeezed into another video?

[@falconseye97]

Fritz Haber was a mess up dude. He invented his process to make ammonia to keep Germany up to pace with a supply of explosives. He also had some weird relationships with his lady friends. Kind of ironic that he wanted to make explosives but made a life-saving ammonia supply. Kooky.

[@msdebeste123]

nice explanation, sad that it is shown as a THE solution, but the consequences are only mentioned in a split second (acidification, eutrophication, biodiversity loss etc)

[@Iknowknow112]

When did I say anything about culling.I only suggested that like many of our other wonderful inventions as a species they often have a double edge. The Neolithic agricultural revolution was also double edged. Along with plentiful food came tooth decay class exploitation wars epidemic diseases etc. As a species humanity suffers from chronic amnesia(despite our glorious written histories, another gift from the Neolithic era ).

[@theoireland5970]

I like this style of video

[@Waranle]

Thank you!

[@Delta-oo6pn]

Pure cleverness!

[@chandrakantgholap2514]

amazing science. nicely presented thanks for this motivation

[@manishkanna532]

beautiful

[@celinebaiocco5642]

Thank you so much, this was so clear!

[@ddbrosnahan]

nitrogenase in Azotabacter Vinelandii fixes nitrogen at normal pressure and temperatures.

[@gabvela8192]

Extremely informative. Thanks :)

[@Ishareandyouwatch]

Omg ty for this lesson

[@TheEktav]

I am not a chemist but may have an idea to a new haber-bosch process.

[@alexanderx33]

That part at the end about ammonia being transported away from crops has literally nothing to do with the production process yet the narrator implies it can be fixed that way...

[@saimasaim3704]

You Didn't Mentioned Carl Bosch.

[@davidcole5777]

Cool Raazia deez Nutz

[@quinxx12]

Ever heard of composting? It's natures Haber process..

[@mobiusdesigns]

The beginning of this video makes a lot of statements about the necessity of this process regarding our capacity to feed ourselves that are neither cited nor peer reviewed. True, this has boosted productivity/acre but it is also true that the food system is so complex economically, that to make such a claim is preposterous. Especially in light of the industrial food economy only representing 30% of the world food production. Topsoil is being lost at an astonishing rate in the US and it is because soil is used as a holder for the nitrogen spray, which goes straight into the gulf of mexico. Im curious if it really truely is necessary to have this process, because it requires natural gas to perform, how long it will remain economic. (Hint: it is not economic now, its just subsidized. ) See: navdanyainternational.org/the-farmers-crisis/ See: Documentary King Corn

[@hamyncheese]

Thank you. I appreciate your thoughtful and intelligent comment. I'm convinced that youtube is a den of ignorance spreading shiny nonsense.

[@haliax8149]

It's very economic. Fertilizer plants are lucrative, and newly commissioned plants are operating at 90% energetic efficiency. It was profitable when gas was $10 / million Btu. Is that where gas is now? Nope. Typical price is $3.00 - $4.00. Net profits of $200 - $300 per ton sold.

[@FloofyTanker]

Father of toxic gas and chemical warfare, Fritz Haber.

[@Cadmann778]

Haber was a monster, he never cared about feeding people all he wanted was to make sure the German war machine had enough amonia to make munitions after their supplies were cut off from south american guano mines. While he may be remembered as the man who feed the world, he is also considered the father of chemical warfare, for his work in the German chemical weapon program of the first world war developing such weapons as chlorine gas.

[@MrNeji1406]

This reminds me of a quote that Richard Feynman said in his book. "Science is the key to Heaven and Hell"

[@kierenj7794]

Nice

[@thomasbeckett1245]

As with music everything resonates to a frequency, just as a crystal radio picks up on vibrations , so do plants.

[@JusdoinstuF]

interesting you say that, do humans resonate to a frequency? If so, where can i learn more?

[@gopisanthilalgandhi]

Coming after watching the Veritasium video

[@GRBtutorials]

0:50 Not really, because the population would not get big enough, it would slowly grow until it stabilises at 4 000 million people. And that's what will happen in the future unless another similar breakthrough is done (genetic modification?), or we finally leave Earth to colonise other planets and moons: it'll stabilise at around 10 000 million, because there's still a limit to the amount of food we can produce.

[@bee6195]

The case would not be that 3 billion would not have food; rather, there would just be less people. Unlike nitrogen, you can’t produce people from thin air. The food has to exist to produce those billions of people.

[@johnroydelacruz1433]

Can u make another video abbout fertilizer

[@chrisbegg3506]

How did you animate the graph and other things like 1:38 to 1:44 ? thanks!

[@oscarpark1523]

Chanel the ocean water through vast desert regions (Australia). Boom, farmland. Where's my Nobel prize?

[@KurtisBaute]

Ocean water = salt water.

[@oscarpark1523]

Seaweed's edible.. There's lots of food that grows in saltwater. The water will lose it's salt as it flows inland.. I'm a troubleshooter too.. I should get an extra nobel prize for that..

[@karlpilkington997]

Rocks on earth release plant available/bioavailable nitrogen by weathering, maybe people just need to grind up rocks to replace the haber Bosch process and avoid the consequences of ammonia byproducts

[@inovastar]

Transformar amônia em combustível parece agora razoável..

[@txvoltaire]

Remember! Nitrates are cheaper than day rates!

[@rightfulfuture4]

I mean, I would have said penicillin, but how to make ammonia is good too

[@jsa326]

are we supposed to listen to the music or the voice. feel free to comment