Science and Technology

The narrative emphasizes the role of scientific innovation—such as atomic energy, nitrogen fixation, and mass production—as both a cause of the disaster (via the blight) and a solution for rebuilding society.

The chapter centers on Wotherspoon's explanation of bacterial nitrogen cycles and the potential for catastrophic disruption, highlighting both the power and fragility of scientific knowledge.

The narrator examines the blight with scientific curiosity; the chapter also highlights advances in air travel and global communication.

The discovery of B. diazotans by Johnston and the scientific investigation into the Blight's cause.

Nordenholt's use of psychological insight and systematic analysis in finance; his biological metaphor for civilization as a specialized organism.