late nineteenth century bird droppings could be a strategic resource. And the nations were fighting for them. Three countries, Chile, Peru and Bolivia changed their stories to fight for the guano and saltpeter.
late nineteenth century was a time of great change. There was a second industrial revolution a great technological development, major improvements in health and medicine and, therefore, a significant increase in the population. Population had to be fed farming techniques are still very traditional.
guano, bird droppings basically, was a strategic element for its abundance of nitrogen and phosphorus that made him the best fertilizer for crops, well above the manure from other animals. The demand was so great that the United States created a law, Guano Islands Act
The Pacific was the largest nature reserve, highlighting the coastal area and islands between Peru and Chile. In some areas the guano, which accumulated in layers up to 50 meters, was removed and shipped to farms around the globe. This wealth will inevitably create conflict. First Spain attempted to occupy the islands Chincha on the coast of Peru, which caused a declaration of war Peru, Chile and Bolivia . Years later, the disputes between Chile and Bolivia for the use of some areas of the Atacama Desert ended in a war that left landlocked Bolivia and Chile which occupy parts of Peru, an ally of Bolivia including the capital, Lima .
guano demand fell only to developing new technologies. In the early twentieth century, research Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch allowed the synthesis artificial ammonia that formed the basis of numerous nitrogen compounds. Among them, artificial fertilizers were not dependent on natural sources for manufacture.
The current high raw material oil as above were coal, guano and saltpeter. I would think that we have advanced a little and now choose to invest in new technologies to reduce their consumption and not for more weapons.
Category: Chemistry, History of Science
0 comments:
Post a Comment