In the annals of science, there are few stories as compelling and paradoxical as that of Fritz Haber. The 1918 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, awarded to this German scientist, is often cited as the most significant Nobel Prize in history. His groundbreaking invention has literally shaped the world we live in, sustaining the lives of over four billion people. Yet, the same man's peers shunned him, and his name is steeped in controversy. How did one individual's work simultaneously become a beacon of hope and a symbol of tragedy?
In a world dominated by light bulbs that waste most of their energy as heat, the advent of LEDs promised a revolution in lighting efficiency. Yet, for decades, a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing – the blue LED. This is the story of Shūji Nakamura, a Japanese engineer who defied industry norms and made three radical breakthroughs to create the world's first blue LED, setting off a chain reaction that transformed the lighting industry and earned him a Nobel Prize.