Slate Technology

S2E8: Salvation In The Air

08.21.2019 - By Slate PodcastsPlay

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

At the dawn of the 20th century, chemists dreamed of extracting nitrogen from the air and turning it into a limitless supply of fertiliser. Sceptics thought they were crazy -- it was possible in theory, but it was unclear if it could be done in practice. What happened next changed the course of 20th-century history, and provides inspiration to innovators pursuing a different dream today: sucking carbon dioxide out of the air to avert climate change. Might they not be quite so crazy after all?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More episodes from Slate Technology