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Pentagon Working on "Human Fear" Weapons

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the smells-like-... dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Animals use pheromones to attract each other for sex, and warn each other of danger. Now, Wired reports, military researchers are working to harness the 'human fear' pheromone to create a scent of terror. The pheromone could lead to smell-based terrorist sensors, and new weapons that rely on 'contagious' stress."

11 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. The Pentagon by Smordnys+s'regrepsA · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Turning your "War on Terror" into the "War of Terror," since 2008.

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    Just -1, Troll talking to another.
  2. Bio warfare? by Fluffy_Kitten · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does that not count as biological warfare?

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    People who have no sig are cool
    1. Re:Bio warfare? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Not likely. Bio-warfare implies living organisms like bacteria or viruses. Since phermones are (far as I know) just complex molecules it would fall under the chemical warfare category. Still no day in the park...

  3. terra! by Lord+Ender · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The pheromone could lead to smell-based terrorist sensors, and new weapons that rely on 'contagious' stress."
    Awesome. Now people who are afraid of flying will have the added benefit of getting cavity-searched as a result of their fear.
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    A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  4. Fear Eh? by mixmatch · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You mean a squad of guys busting into your house with sub-machine guns doesn't cause this effect?

    1. Re:Fear Eh? by sm62704 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They rated you funny, and it was, but you should have been rated insightful. I just recounted an episode last summer in the next to latest journal about how I, a hazel eyed gray haired geezer had my civil rights violated by the local police, FBI and DEA.

      As I was talking to the FBI gay, er "guy" before he searched me (putting his hands on my balls, why can't they have female cops search men? UGH!), he asked why I seemed so nervous. I went from nervous to incredible, thinking "WTF is this dumbass smoking?"

      "WHAT?? Because half a dozen big armed men just accosted me!" I replied. I didn't add "You stupid fucking authoritarian dumbass cocksucker!" as I would have liked to.

      Actually I wasn't scared at all, but I was mad as hell. What I was afraid of was that they'd piss me off enough that I'd do something stupid. Like slap one of them upside the head with a hooker.

      Dumb fucking cops. Nothing in my life has made me less respectful of police officers. They're called the D.I.R.T. team and the name fits the dirty bastards, all of whom IMO belong in a prison or somewhere worse.

      Now I understand why all the rap songs are so disrespectful of the police. I mean, I'm a white old guy, imagine being a black young guy.

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  5. Why Fear? by TheLazySci-FiAuthor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why don't they make a "love" weapon instead.

    After all, I thought the US was supposed to have a reputation for turning enemies into friends.

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    Read my Very Short "Stories"
  6. The Smell of Fear by BadHaggis · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Forcing a detainee to inhale pheromones which induce a state of terror and has not been classified as torture, Therefor, it can be freely used during interrogations to obtain information. Why bother with water boarding someone when you can induce the same levels of terror through a little sniff of fear.

    On the civilian side I guess my fear of flying will be detected every time I travel and I will constantly have to visit the little security office for questioning.

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    Homo homini lupus
  7. UN chemical weapons convention by gnalle · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How is this consistent with the US supporting the UN chemical weapons convention? http://www.cwc.gov/ http://www.un.org/Depts/dda/WMD/cwc/ "The Convention prohibits all development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, and use of chemical weapons. It requires each State Party to destroy chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facilities it possesses, as well as any chemical weapons it may have abandoned on the territory of another State Party"

  8. Re:Irony by drooling-dog · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Who said this is to be used on "our" enemies?

    It'll be used on ourselves, to make us more eager to accept the enemies that are provided for us, and more desperate for protection from them.

  9. Re:Fear is not always a bad thing... by _KiTA_ · · Score: 2, Insightful


    A weapon that exploits fear 'scents' could backfire just as easily. Traditionally, fear will cause someone to flee or at the very least become nervous and therefore have his/her decision-making skills crippled. But for some, fear is a great motivator. If i'm gonna get into a fight and feel extra fearful because of this exploit, i might come back twice as hard to overcome whatever is in my way.

    just a thought....


    It'll also work great with protesters. Roll out a few of these "fear grenades" into a crowd, and they'll either panic and flee, or band together and attack. Either way, you can call it a riot and arrest them all for showing up.

    You won't even have to bother with a mole to incite a riot anymore. Score!