Guy Fawkes' Explosion Would Have Devasted London

Anonymous Coward writes "Experts at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth have worked out for the first time the true extent of the damage Guy Fawkes would have caused if his daring deed had not been foiled on November 5, 1605. " Sorry - history geek/major in me coming out, but this is definitiely one of those major points in history when things Could Have Gone Differently.

Comments

Re:I don't get it.

[riggwelter]

We have a national day (it's not actually a holiday) in the UK (well, England certainly) on the 5th of November to celebrate the fact that Guy Fawkes, and his fellow conspiritors we prevented from commiting a major act of what was essentially religious-inspired terrorism, namely the assisnation of the monarch and parliament.

That's why effigies of Mr Fawkes are burnt as part of the celebrations.

Of course, given that Mr Fawkes represented the oppressed (at the time) Roman Catholic community, was he a terrorist, or a freedom fighter?

Huge Difference

[Detritus]

Gunpowder, or black powder, is a low explosive. It doesn't detonate, it deflagrates, which means that it burns very quickly, producing large quantities of gas.

TNT, or tri-nitro-toluene, is a high explosive. It detonates, producing a violent shock wave.

High explosives are more violent in their effects than low explosives. That's why they are so popular with the military. They do a better job of breaking things.