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Fritz Haber looked to solve the alchemist problem: fix nitrogen from the air to make ammonia. He saw it as an impossible problem to solve. Everyone else saw it as worthwhile to make fertilizer and bombs easier. In 1908, he discovered the process to do it, but lacked the resources to do it scalably. Haber crafted a pitch to BASF, a giant chemical company, and they invested in his idea. BASF’s big budget and equipment allowed Haber to find the catalyst that produced cheap ammonia. Osmium had produced the result in March 1909. It was rare and expensive so the company made him look for alternatives. While protecting the secret, BASF bought up the world’s osmium supply. Once Fritz Haber found magnetite worked as a better compound they released the news that osmium worked in 1910. This early information gave BASF [stealth] knowledge and a significant lead against their competition.
Become an Information Bottleneck
Information That Would Get Your Attention
Why (Private) Investors are Herd Animals