Are Unexploded Bombs Becoming More Dangerous? New Study Shows Alarming Trend
Explosive Substance Found in Unexploded Bombs Poses Increased Risk
An explosive substance found inside many bombs used in the first and second world wars is increasingly more likely to explode, according to scientists. That’s only if the unexploded bomb containing the substance is impacted. A new study focused on unexploded bombs from the Second World War, published in the Royal Society Open Science journal, revealed alarming findings.
Amatol: A Highly Explosive Substance
The researchers found that a substance called Amatol can still cause the old bombs to explode if they’re dropped during disposal. This highly explosive substance contains TNT and ammonium nitrate. The study claimed that unexploded bombs are actually getting more dangerous due to the presence of Amatol.
Unknown Quantity of Lethal Bombs
Amatol wasn’t found in all the bombs in the study, raising concerns about the unknown quantity of lethal unexploded bombs that still pose a threat. The researchers highlighted that it would be impossible to know how many unexploded bombs still contain Amatol.
Environmental and Safety Impact
With millions of tonnes of unexploded ammunition existing around the world, the new research has significant implications. The explosive legacy of wars represents an increasing threat to the environment and societal safety and security, as emphasized by the researchers.
Challenging Misconceptions
The researchers aim to dispel the misconception that unexploded bombs become less dangerous over time. Through their investigation of the high-explosive substance Amatol extracted from aging explosive remnants of war, they revealed that these bombs are much more sensitive to impact than previously assumed. The standardized methodology of impact sensitivity testing was found insufficient, calling for a more thorough statistical analysis to accurately estimate the sensitivities involved.