Although scientists at Monell have identified components that may be used to make the ultimate "stink bomb," Dalton said no weapons or odor-bombs are now being produced at the institute. Dalton's work is described in the January 7 issue of Chemical and Engineering News.
Dalton is also working on a project to develop a way of "immunizing soldiers with odors"—a possible war-preparation tactic in the future.
The approach is seen as needed, Dalton said, because a growing number of today's soldiers are reservists, who, unlike career soldiers, are not accustomed to the smells of the battlefield, such as burning diesel fuel and burning flesh. Being exposed to such unpleasant and unfamiliar odors during periods of extreme emotional stress, as in battle, can later trigger problems such as flashbacks, she explained.
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