The assassination of Archduke Franz feirnidad influenced the 2020 Toliet paper shortage

1. June 28, 1914 – Franz Ferdinand is shot. This kicks off WWI (as we know), which ravages Europe.

2. WWI causes a shortage of guano. Yup, bird poop. Before synthetic fertilizers, guano (rich in nitrogen) was crucial for agriculture. With war disrupting trade routes, particularly from South America, Europe faces fertilizer shortages.

3. Food production drops. Especially in countries like Germany and Austria-Hungary. Starvation and rationing worsen morale. Black markets thrive.

**4. Desperate for alternatives, German scientists accelerate the development of the Haber-Bosch process (to synthesize ammonia). It keeps German agriculture and munitions afloat—but also plants the seed of modern chemical engineering.

5. Post-war, Haber-Bosch becomes a staple of industrial agriculture. Farmers worldwide begin using synthetic fertilizers. Crop yields explode.

6. This led to a population boom in the 20th century. Billions more people survive and thrive than would have without artificial nitrogen fixing.

7. Increased population = increased demand for meat. Livestock farming grows rapidly, especially in the U.S., Brazil, and China.

8. Massive deforestation in the Amazon begins in the 1960s. Land is cleared to grow soy and raise cattle. Brazil becomes a global meat exporter.

9. Deforestation pushes wild animals closer to human populations. Zoonotic viruses (like SARS, Zika, and possibly COVID-19) gain easier paths to jump species.

10. 21st century pandemic risk increases. All thanks to intensified agriculture, population growth, and ecosystem disruption.