this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] [email protected] 359 points 3 months ago (80 children)

The TSA is something that shouldn't exist in its current form. They very often fail their audit checks and normalize invading your privacy to an extreme degree like body scanners and pat downs. If water bottles are considered potentially explosive then why dump them on a bin next to a line of people where they can go off? This is low grade security theater that inconveniences passengers at best.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 months ago (9 children)

According to the story I heard as to the origin of the "no liquids over X amount" rule, years ago there was a terrorist that tried to smuggle hydrogen peroxide and acetone - which can be used to rather easily synthesize triacetone triperoxide (TATP, a highly sensitive explosive) - onto a plane in plastic toiletry bottles. They got caught and foiled somehow, and then the TSA started restricting liquids on planes. This was in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, if I recall correctly.

And I happen to know, from a reliable source, of someone who accidentally made TATP in a rotary evaporator in an academic lab. So it seems plausible.

Not that the rule is actually effective prevention against similar attacks, nor that the TSA even knows what the reason is behind what they do at this point, haha. I just thought it was an interesting story.

[–] bitchkat 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

At least they haven't taken away our shoes. And is there a limit to the number of 3 Oz bottles you can carry?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You can bring as many as you can fit in a single (quart size I believe) ziplock back.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

Honey would you grab my water for me please?

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