Ammonia

The invention:

The first successful method for converting nitrogen
from the atmosphere and combining it with hydrogen to synthesize
ammonia, a valuable compound used as a fertilizer.

The person behind the invention:

Fritz Haber (1868-1934), a German chemist who won the 1918
Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Alkaline storage battery

The invention:

The nickel-iron alkaline battery was a lightweight,
inexpensive portable power source for vehicles with electric motors.

The people behind the invention:

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), American chemist, inventor,
and industrialist
Henry Ford (1863-1947), American inventor and industrialist
Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958), American engineer and
inventor