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A newly-discovered nanomaterial could provide a fast and easy way to detect and disarm explosives, and finally get the TSA out of our pants. The material is a compound of molybdenum that reacts with peroxide-based explosives, changing color from a deep blue to a pale yellow. A swatch or sensor of the stuff could be used to detect explosives in an airport, as it's sensitive enough to register minute vapor traces of explosives — and it could be small enough to deploy as a badge for firefighters, soldiers, and police officers. More »
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A team of scientists is feeding TNT to a flock of sheep. A. Morrie Craig, a veterinary scientist at Oregon State University, has found that the cud-chewing mammals can efficiently clean up explosives-contaminated soil, of which there are 1.3 million tons throughout the U.S. TNT and other explosives from military munitions training and the remnants of old factories remain in the ground for decades. This residue rarely poses an immediate health threat, but officials at the Department of Defense fear that it could seep into groundwater or poison plants (which has happened before). Conventional cleanup techniques, such as incinerating the soil, are expensive and time-consuming. Sheep will work for free. More »
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In order to detect explosive chemicals, without getting in range, scientists have developed a testing laser. The difference is, this laser doesn't need to be shot out of a device. It's shot out of the air. More »
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Nitroglycerin destroys lives by exploding, and saves them by stopping heart problems. How can it do both? More »
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Tailor-made microbes could save thousands of lives a year in poor nations, but not in the way you would think. A new breed of bioengineered bacteria can spot buried explosives. More »
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If you're worried about the environment but still need to blow people up, a new class of nitrogen-based bomb materials is for you. Popular explosives like TNT and HMX react to form nitrogen oxides when detonated, the major culprits behind smog and acid rain. This is a big no-no if you're the type of warmonger who drives a hybrid tank, obviously, so weapons experts at the University of Munich devised an alternatives that are cleaner, more stable, and even more powerful than those other explosives. More »
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