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Chicken Guns and Chili Grenades: Mary Roach Explores Unexpected Science of the Military World

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 (Photo: Jen Siska)

Have you ever heard of weaponized ghost peppers? That’s a “chili grenade” that uses one of the world’s hottest peppers to burn the eyes and skin of its targets. It’s just one of the military inventions that Mary Roach encountered while working on her new book “Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War.” Roach, who has written books about cadavers, sex, digestion, Mars and ghosts, plunges deep into the world of devices and innovation designed to support soldiers during and after combat. Roach joins Forum to discuss her book and what she learned about the science of war.

Guests:

Mary Roach, author, "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War"; her other books include "Packing for Mars" and "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal"

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