ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Chemistry

Explosives scientists answer questions in online interview

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
March 22, 2016 - Updated on September 8, 2016
in Chemistry, Interviews
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Los Alamos is always blowing stuff up. The Lab burst into the public consciousness 70 years ago with the biggest explosion known to humanity—the world’s first atomic bomb. Since then, Los Alamos has continued to lead the nation in explosives science and engineering. Now, some of the researchers working there went to answer questions on Reddit. Here are some of the most interesting ones:

What’s the biggest boom you’ve ever seen/created?

The largest “shot” that I’ve seen was on a tour of an open pit copper mine, when I was an undergraduate student taking explosives engineering. It was 60,000 lb of an ammonium nitrate based explosive. It certainly was earth-shattering, but not the loudest that I’ve heard, as it was timed to not fire all at once and it was deep underground. Being inside a bunker very close to an open-air, yet smaller shot is more impressive.

Is there a “holy grail” of explosives?

The explosives community and National Laboratories have always sought safer explosives that are higher “performing.” By that, we refer to explosives that have high detonation velocities, detonation pressures, and temporal energy release matched to the application (weapons, mining, etc.). Novel concepts to provide higher performance is an active area of research.

My question is, do you have any moral or ethical qualms about the nature of your work? I imagine that most of the end goal for explosives research is for military applications: portable explosives, bombs, other ordnance. Does any of that ever give you any pause?

Actually, much of our explosives research is based on explosives detection and defeat, or finding ways to make explosives safer to handle. These are the projects that I am most proud of working on.

Many people associate explosives with weapons. While a lot of the work at LANL is weapons related, what are your favorite examples of explosives being used for non-weapons related applications? i.e. pyrotechnics, propellants, tools for scientific understanding.

The vast majority of explosives are used by the mining industry, millions of pounds per year. Other interesting examples included the use of explosives to stimulate oil wells to be more productive, the use of explosives for welding, bolt cutting, pilot ejections mechanisms, etc.

Hi, single dad here – How can I get my daughter (13) more interested in science / chemistry / physics? What was it that interested you (ladies) to get involved with science(s)?

RelatedPosts

Head banging can hammer the brain
Scientists think they’ve figured out why green tea helps you lose weight
Music company just played a vinyl record 28,000 meters above the Earth
Diamond rain of Neptune and Uranus mimicked in the lab by scientists

Expose her to science through lab or industry tours, university programs or other middle/high school programs, and great role models. As she gets older, encourage her to get involved in class or individual science research projects. It is usually the small interactions or experiences that make a difference. I personally loved the problem solving aspects of science, and learning something new by research that could benefit our world (such as solar/energy research, new materials research, etc.).

What is your favourite explosive?

Nitromethane of course.

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Mind & Brain

Being Left-Handed Might Not Make You More Creative After All

byTibi Puiu
9 hours ago
Astronomy

Interstellar comet: Everything We Know About 3I/ATLAS

byMihai Andrei
9 hours ago
Health

People Across Cultures Agree This Body Fat Percentage Is the Most Attractive in Men

byTibi Puiu
11 hours ago
News

Japan’s Wooden Satellite Survived Orbit for 116 Days. Now Scientists Want a Better Version

byGrace van Deelen
11 hours ago

Recent news

Being Left-Handed Might Not Make You More Creative After All

July 7, 2025

Interstellar comet: Everything We Know About 3I/ATLAS

July 7, 2025

People Across Cultures Agree This Body Fat Percentage Is the Most Attractive in Men

July 7, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.