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Fast, Accurate Detection of Explosives

It doesn't come easy writes "Fast, highly reliable detection of residues that could indicate the presence of explosives and other hazardous materials inside luggage is now possible with technology under development at Purdue University. Recent improvements to a previously developed prototype have proven successful at detecting at the picogram (trillionths of a gram) level in lab tests, about 1,000 times less material than previously required. From the article: 'In the amount of time it requires to take a breath, this technology can sniff the surface of a piece of luggage and determine whether a hazardous substance is likely to be inside, based on residual chemicals brushed from the hand of someone loading the suitcase.'"

10 of 270 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, this should be fun. by DrEldarion · · Score: 5, Funny

    Expect every airport to be shut down for a week after the 4th of July.

  2. Even faster and cheaper by MiKM · · Score: 5, Funny

    Fire. In all my experience as a pyromaniac, it has quickly and with 99.99% accuracy told me whether or not a substance was flammable.

    1. Re:Even faster and cheaper by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Come on people, that wasn't flame bait. That was really funny.

      Of course a post about pyromania and fire being rated flamebait is also pretty funny.

    2. Re:Even faster and cheaper by KiloByte · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hmm, you never tried to make a bonfire then, using (reportedly) flammable wood.

      --
      The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
  3. Re:Defeatable by multiple wrapping? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does anyone have any ideas?

    Yes. How about not trying to get any of the rest of us involved in your terrorist activity?

  4. Re:Skunk Analogy by Velox_SwiftFox · · Score: 2, Funny

    Thank ghod my couch isn't as interested in attacking skunks as my dog is.

  5. Re:Defeatable by multiple wrapping? by cdn2k1 · · Score: 1, Funny

    perhaps some cute gift wrap and a smile is all that is really needed.

  6. Re:Vulnerable to a "chaffing" attack? by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Funny
    Isn't that a *huge* hole in any "super sensitive" chemical detection system?

    Hmmmm... chaffing, super-sensitive, huge hole.... is this a subliminal advertisement for condoms?

  7. Re:No, not really... by Otto · · Score: 3, Funny

    As for chaffing. I don't think this machine was meant to analyze the atmosphere of the entire airport. You just swab the bag and run it through the machine.

    So when some guy spreads a lot of explosive dust all over the lobby, and you set your bag down and pick up some of that dust, then the machine will detect it and suddenly you've got a rubber gloved finger poking your ass?

    --
    - Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
  8. Rubber? Here's the new glove... by ari_j · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dude, you are entirely out of touch (bad pun, down!)...the Homeland Security Act changed the type of gloves that are used for airpot cavity searches. The new gloves are not exactly rubber.