Episode #774
News Items
- Wandering Magnetic North Pole
- Air Plasma Jet Propulsion
- Hydrogen Breathers
- Murder Hornets
- Prayer for COVID-19
Science or Fiction
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Item #1
Fiction
Artificial fertilizer is responsible for 80% of current world food production. https://ourworldindata.org/how-many-people-does-synthetic-fertilizer-feed
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Item #2
Science
The Haber-Bosch process, used to fix nitrogen, consumes between 1-2% of the world’s energy usage. https://cen.acs.org/environment/green-chemistry/Industrial-ammonia-production-emits-CO2/97/i24
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Item #3
Science
One adult’s urine contains enough nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to fertilize enough food production for 50-100% of one person’s food requirements. https://modernfarmer.com/2014/01/human-pee-proven-fertilizer-future/
Skeptical Quote of the Week.
“It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” -William Kingdon Clifford, mathematician and philosopher (4 May 1845-1879)