# Snipping the wires on a time bomb **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548 "2006-10-31T04:09:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/21 "2006-10-31T13:57:55Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] When I build my Very Big Bomb, I’m gonna use green and purple wires. There will be an LED counter, but it will be set off by something like 2 and 1/2 minutes, so it detonates while reading “2:33”. [/QUOTE] You’re my kind of evil. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/22 "2006-10-31T13:59:45Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Back into the realm of reality, bomb squads use a shotgun to blast the timers of real bombs; I guess not in all cases and usually using a robot (I don´t think many people would agree to shoot a bomb at point range personally). [/QUOTE] At Edwards AFB I was talking to some security types about the Barrett .50 on their HMMWV. They said the rifle was used to explode bombs/unexploded ordnance from a safe distance. Does anyone remember the multiple antitamper devices in _Special Bulletin_? ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/23 "2006-10-31T14:05:08Z")
[QUOTE=ftg] It is not all that hard to make bombs that are extremely hard to defuse. Over the years, the IRA got quite good at making bombs that foiled the British Army. It was a cycle: when the Brits figured out how a certain class of devices could be disarmed, the IRA worked around that method, etc. [/QUOTE] Can you provide your source for this? I don’t remember it happening in the way you state, I thought they became fairly adept at bomb disposal. Certainly we read of casualties at the time but especially with the advent of the remote controlled robots it was comparatively rare to read about them. I just can’t remember this “cycle” of events happening. [This article gives a brief history of EOD](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosive_ordnance_disposal) > [@](#): > > The British Armed Forces have become experts in IED disposal after many years of dealing with bombs ‘planted’ by the IRA. These came in many different forms, particularly car bombs rigged to detonate via a variety of manners. As such the first personnel sent into Iraq in 2003 were, amongst others, British Bomb Disposal experts of 11 EOD Regiment RLC. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/24 "2006-10-31T14:28:46Z")
In ‘The Fourth Protocol’: a top KGB operative has a plan to detonate a nuclear device next to a US nuclear airbase in the UK, and blame the US. A male operative has collected the components and been told he will have **two hours** on the timer after setting the bomb to get away. The KGB villain sends a female technician to assemble the bomb. So as to leave no evidence, the female is told to set the bomb to explode **immediately** after arming. The male (who doesn’t know the timings have been changed) is told to kill the female as soon as the bomb is assembled. Typical chess player plot! ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/25 "2006-10-31T14:43:04Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Back into the realm of reality, bomb squads use a shotgun to blast the timers of real bombs; I guess not in all cases and usually using a robot (I don´t think many people would agree to shoot a bomb at point range personally). [/QUOTE] Real bomb disposal teams blow the thing in place as the first option. If that’s not possible, or too dangerous to the surroundings, they remove it to a safe place and blow it up. Only as a very last resort do they try to disassemble it. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/26 "2006-10-31T14:52:47Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] When I was 12 years old I came up with the notion that the way to deal with a bomb might be to pour liquid nitrogen on it (i.e. surround it with a container that you then fill with liquid nitrogen). Would this work? Has it ever been tried? [/QUOTE] When were you 12? This was exactly what they did in “Lethal Weapon 2”, when Murtaugh found the bomb behind the toilet he was sitting on, with of course a pressure sensor set to detonate when weight was removed from the toilet seat. They put a styrofoam case around the bomb, filled it with liquid nitrogen, then Riggs pulled Murtaugh into the bathtub. The bomb did go off a few seconds later- the liquid nitrogen delayed the blast somehow. I don’t remember enough semiconductor physics to know how realistic that is. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/27 "2006-10-31T15:02:43Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Does anyone remember the multiple antitamper devices in _Special Bulletin_? [/QUOTE] I certainly remember that MFTV movie. I was disappointed with all the disclaimers saying it wasn’t real. Dammit, I wanna see mass panic! ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/28 "2006-10-31T15:31:16Z")
One of the Die Hard movies (I think) had a bomb in a school whereby two chemicals would mix and cause an explosion. They were both visible in large, transparent tanks. Rather than defuse the thing at the last minute, couldn’t the simply have drained one of the tanks? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/29 "2006-10-31T17:16:35Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] When were you 12? This was exactly what they did in “Lethal Weapon 2”. [/QUOTE] Well, I was 12 substantially before Lethal Weapon I. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/30 "2006-10-31T18:22:51Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar] One of the Die Hard movies (I think) had a bomb in a school whereby two chemicals would mix and cause an explosion. They were both visible in large, transparent tanks. Rather than defuse the thing at the last minute, couldn’t the simply have drained one of the tanks? [/QUOTE] What if there was a fuse set to a sensor that monitored the pressure in the tanks? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/31 "2006-10-31T22:14:53Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] What if there was a fuse set to a sensor that monitored the pressure in the tanks? [/QUOTE] What if chemical A was acid glue and chemical B was Hitler? What then? [Link to earlier, highly entertaining thread on life-or-death hypotheticals.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=289696) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/32 "2006-11-01T00:58:26Z")
Natch, I got before I even got to the link… ---
**Author:** ![Architeuthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Architeuthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architeuthis)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/33 "2006-11-01T01:45:12Z")
Oh for god sakes! Don’t cut ANY wires, just unplug the the damn BATTERY! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/34 "2006-11-01T02:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=Architeuthis] Oh for god sakes! Don’t cut ANY wires, just unplug the the damn BATTERY! [/QUOTE] It may have a capacitor somewhere that discharges on loss of current. Kaboom! ---
**Author:** ![Architeuthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Architeuthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architeuthis)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/35 "2006-11-01T02:55:50Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] It may have a capacitor somewhere that discharges on loss of current. Kaboom! [/QUOTE] Oh, the ol’ capacitor discharge trick. (heh, heh) Forgot about that!---- Dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/36 "2006-11-01T03:01:48Z")
[QUOTE=Architeuthis] Oh, the ol’ capacitor discharge trick. [/QUOTE] That’s the _second_ time I’ve fallen for that this week! ---
**Author:** ![Architeuthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Architeuthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architeuthis)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/37 "2006-11-01T03:04:27Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] That’s the _second_ time I’ve fallen for that this week! [/QUOTE] Too funny! ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/38 "2006-11-01T14:16:21Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] The really bad example of all this was in _The Peacemaker_. Besides the god-awful casting and direction, the end of the movie has the heroes trying to defuse an atomic bomb. They go through all sorts of difficulties to do so, when all they had to do was clip a few of the wires leading to the explosive charges. A successful nuclear detonation would need a perfectly symmetrical explosion. Rip some wires, and you get nothing but a bang and some plutonium contamination. [/QUOTE] If I remember the movie correctly, they did get a bang anyway, but somehow everyone was miraculously spared the plutonium contamination. I hated that movie. Where’d the frakking missile crate disappear to? ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/39 "2006-11-01T15:54:39Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] When I was 12 years old I came up with the notion that the way to deal with a bomb might be to pour liquid nitrogen on it (i.e. surround it with a container that you then fill with liquid nitrogen). Would this work? Has it ever been tried? [/QUOTE] The British used it to defuse booby trapped German bombs during WWII, or at least they did in “Danger! UXB”. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548/40 "2006-11-01T19:03:22Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar] One of the Die Hard movies (I think) had a bomb in a school whereby two chemicals would mix and cause an explosion. They were both visible in large, transparent tanks. Rather than defuse the thing at the last minute, couldn’t the simply have drained one of the tanks? [/QUOTE] That would be the third movie, **Die Hard With A Vengeance** , and the bomb of which you speak was worked on by what I consider to be the most heroic character in the movie. I don’t remember if they even gave him a name, but he’s a balding, pudgy bomb squad member. Let’s go back there, shall we: the building has been evacuated with about 1:30 left on the timer, and the bomb squad tech packs up and starts to leave. Then, he hears on his radio that kids have been spotted in one of the rooms upstairs. “There are still kids in the building?” He pauses, then sets his tools down and turns back to the bomb. Calmly, he says, “I’m staying.” And, knowing that he’ll probably die very soon, he resumes work on the bomb. THAT is bravery that should bring tears to your eyes. He’s the unsung hero of the movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snipping-the-wires-on-a-time-bomb/378548.md?page=3)