r/science • u/Skoltech_ • 2d ago

Materials Science Scientists found many new molecules, some with over 75% of TNT's explosive power

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2468606925000292
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u/StacyChadBecky 2d ago

I’m not sure I follow. Is it that hard to find things less explosive than TNT? 75% of means less powerful. It’s just a weird way of saying “scientists found many new molecules less explosive than TNT”

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u/KiwasiGames 2d ago

TNTs main value proposition isn’t even that it’s explosive. It’s that it will sit there not exploding until you want it to explode.

Most advances in conventional explosives have all been directed at this point. Make something that is stable under normal handling conditions and only explodes when you are ready for it.

Makes sense when you thing about it. Most of an average explosives life cycle is spent not exploding.

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u/chadwicke619 2d ago

What does this have to do with the comment to which you replied, and by extension, the title of the post?

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u/KiwasiGames 2d ago

Comment says “it’s weird that they are getting excited about something less explosive than TNT”

My comment says “it’s particularly weird because TNT isn’t even all that explosive”.

We know plenty of things more explosive than TNT. Which makes the choice of TNT as a baseline odd.

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u/Jacob_Ambrose 2d ago

TNT is a pretty common choice for reference of how much energy an explosion releases. Nukes come to mind, or large explosions like the Beirut or Halifax explosion

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u/Sacagawenis 1d ago

How many TNTs is 1 nuke?

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u/Jacob_Ambrose 1d ago

A few thousand tons up to 50 million if we're talking detonated nukes