"the Haber–Bosch process, a method used in industry to synthesize ammonia from nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas. This invention is of importance for the large-scale synthesis of fertilizers and explosives. The food production for half the world's current population depends on this method for producing nitrogen fertilizers."
Yes they are very useful. I was only counting computer related contributions since Turin award only recognise people who contributed to computing community.
discovery, not invention.
(But I guess developing them into a useful product is itself an invention. Maybe there's no bright line between discovery and invention.)
I suppose our world could function without antibiotics, but not without the transistor ...