Patents aren't my area of expertise. That said absurdity in the patent system isn't limited to the software world. This is second-hand info from someone who's had to file these patents, but I've heard you can get patents on metal alloys providing that you can state the exact reason why that specific alloy composition gives the property you desire. If a competitor then proves that the property is a consequence of some other effect, your patent is invalidated. So there's not much incentive to patent these things if keeping it a trade secret is a more viable alternative.
It's frustrating when you're working on a problem you're 90% sure a better funded industry player has already solved. Maybe they solved it through trial and error, without needing or wanting to understand the fundamental science behind it, but you then have to re-discover their results before you can even make progress in the understanding. But it's that understanding that's essential for developing completely new materials for the future. It's not all that bad, but it's certainly sub-optimal.