Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: thedoc on 26/06/2012 18:12:52

Title: How can plastics detect explosives?
Post by: thedoc on 26/06/2012 18:12:52

With the advent of global terrorism, it’s become apparent that people will go to extreme lengths to conceal bombs.  So quickly and accurately detecting trace amounts of explosives could not only save lives, but it could make air travel safer, quicker and a lot more convenient.  Now, researchers at St. Andrews University have invented an explosive-detecting plastic...
Read a transcript of the interview by clicking here (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/2140/)

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Title: Re: How can plastics detect explosives?
Post by: SeanB on 27/06/2012 19:04:56

The sad thing is that this does not serve a purpose. If the "terrorists" want to get a bomb on a plane, it is easier to bribe a cleaner, gate guard, anybody with access to the plane to plant them. Has the TSA done anything to prevent drugs getting on planes? Most of the mules are caught getting OFF the plane, often with multi kilo quantities of drugs, often due to a tip off as to who the low value mules are, while the high value drugs are let through.  A win on both sides, the smugglers get the goods, the customs get to preen.