Query: Scientists just discovered a massive, heretofore unknown, source of nitrogen

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Nitrogen fixation <=SEP=> Nitrogen fixation is a process by which nitrogen in the Earth 's atmosphere is converted into ammonia ( NH3 ) or other molecules available to living organisms . Atmospheric nitrogen or molecular dinitrogen ( N2 ) is relatively inert : it does not easily react with other chemicals to form new compounds . The fixation process frees nitrogen atoms from their triply bonded diatomic form , N ≡ N , to be used in other ways .   Nitrogen fixation is essential for all forms of life because inorganic nitrogen compounds are required for the biosynthesis of the basic building blocks of plants , animals and other life forms , e.g. , nucleotides for DNA and RNA , the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide for its role in metabolism ( transferring electrons between molecules ) , and amino acids for proteins . Therefore , as part of the nitrogen cycle , it is essential for agriculture and the manufacture of fertilizer . It is also , indirectly , relevant to the manufacture of all chemical compounds that contain nitrogen , which includes explosives , most pharmaceuticals , dyes , etc. . Nitrogen fixation is carried out naturally in the soil by nitrogen fixing bacteria such as Azotobacter . Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria have symbiotic relationships with some plant groups , especially legumes . Looser relationships between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and plants are often referred to as associative or non-symbiotic , as seen in nitrogen fixation occurring on rice roots . It also occurs naturally in the air by means of NOx production by lightning .   All biological nitrogen fixation is done by way of metalloenzymes called nitrogenases . These enzymes contain iron , often with a second metal , usually molybdenum but sometimes vanadium . Microorganisms that can fix nitrogen are prokaryotes ( both bacteria and archaea , distributed throughout their respective Domains ) called diazotrophs . Some higher plants , and some animals ( termites ) , have formed associations ( symbiosis ) with diazotrophs .

Nitrogen <=SEP=> Nitrogen is a chemical element with symbol N and atomic number 7 . It was first discovered and isolated by Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford in 1772 . Although Carl Wilhelm Scheele and Henry Cavendish had independently done so at about the same time , Rutherford is generally accorded the credit because his work was published first . The name nitrogen was suggested by Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal in 1790 , when it was found that nitrogen was present in nitric acid and nitrates ; this name derives from the Greek roots νἰτρον `` nitre '' and - γεννᾶν `` to form '' . Antoine Lavoisier suggested instead the name azote , from the Greek άζωτικός `` no life '' , as it is an asphyxiant gas ; his name is instead used in many languages , such as French , Russian , and Turkish , and appears in the English names of some nitrogen compounds such as hydrazine , azides and azo compounds .   Nitrogen is the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table , often called the pnictogens . The name comes from the Greek πνίγειν `` to choke '' , directly referencing nitrogen 's asphyxiating properties . It is a common element in the universe , estimated at about seventh in total abundance in the Milky Way and the Solar System . At standard temperature and pressure , two atoms of the element bind to form dinitrogen , a colourless and odorless diatomic gas with the formula N2 . Dinitrogen forms about 78 % of Earth 's atmosphere , making it the most abundant uncombined element . Nitrogen occurs in all organisms , primarily in amino acids ( and thus proteins ) , in the nucleic acids ( DNA and RNA ) and in the energy transfer molecule adenosine triphosphate . The human body contains about 3 % nitrogen by mass , the fourth most abundant element in the body after oxygen , carbon , and hydrogen . The nitrogen cycle describes movement of the element from the air , into the biosphere and organic compounds , then back into the atmosphere .   Many industrially important compounds , such as ammonia , nitric acid , organic nitrates ( propellants and explosives ) , and cyanides , contain nitrogen . The extremely strong triple bond in elemental nitrogen ( N ≡ N ) , the second strongest bond in any diatomic molecule , dominates nitrogen chemistry . This causes difficulty for both organisms and industry in converting N2 into useful compounds , but at the same time means that burning , exploding , or decomposing nitrogen compounds to form nitrogen gas releases large amounts of often useful energy . Synthetically produced ammonia and nitrates are key industrial fertilisers , and fertiliser nitrates are key pollutants in the eutrophication of water systems .   Apart from its use in fertilisers and energy-stores , nitrogen is a constituent of organic compounds as diverse as Kevlar used in high-strength fabric and cyanoacrylate used in superglue . Nitrogen is a constituent of every major pharmacological drug class , including antibiotics . Many drugs are mimics or prodrugs of natural nitrogen-containing signal molecules : for example , the organic nitrates nitroglycerin and nitroprusside control blood pressure by metabolizing into nitric oxide . Many notable nitrogen-containing drugs , such as the natural caffeine and morphine or the synthetic amphetamines , act on receptors of animal neurotransmitters .