Tear gas is a relatively modern invention—a non-lethal repellant developed from the killer chemical weapons of World War I. But each canister relies on the fascinating chemistry of some ancient compounds and reactions. Wired gives us a look inside, without all the coughing and choking.
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Disposing of the world’s chemical weapon stockpiles is far easier said than done. It’s not like the good old days prior to WWII when we could just dump extraneous supplies of mustard gas and other chemical weapons into the open ocean or under Delaware roadways or just big pits at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama—no, no, now we have to dispose of it in a responsible manner. That’s why Army crews now rely on an ingenious explosive vacuum chamber to burn these deadly weapons to harmless ash.
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It’s believed that last week the Syrian government murdered hundreds of its own civilians with chemical weapons. We don’t know which weapon they used, but we do know it’s one of a handful of chemicals called nerve agents.
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In the nearly two years since the start of the Syrian Civil War, the international community has steadfastly refused to directly intervene—despite reports of atrocities ranging from horrific detainee abuse to indiscriminate airstrikes and shelling against civilians. However, the Assad regime may have finally crossed the “red line” by unleashing a deadly nerve agent against residents of Homs. In doing so, the government may be courting a full-scale NATO retribution. More »
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