Gay bomb
The "halitosis bomb" and "gay bomb" are informal names for two theoretical non-lethal chemical weapons that a United States Air Force research laboratory speculated about producing; the theories involve discharging female sex pheromones over enemy forces in order to make them sexually attracted to each other.
In 1994 the Wright Laboratory in Ohio, a predecessor to today's United States Air Force Research Laboratory, produced a three-page proposal on a variety of possible nonlethal chemical weapons, which was later obtained by the Sunshine Project through a Freedom of Information Act request.[1][2][3][4][5]
Background
B U L L S H I T
Leaked documents
In both of the documents, the possibility was canvassed that a strong aphrodisiac could be dropped on enemy troops, ideally one which would also cause "homosexual behavior". The documents described the aphrodisiac weapon as "distasteful but completely non-lethal".[2]
Body odors
Body odor remote-engineering, such as halitosis and hyperhidrosis, was another possibility discussed. Again, these effects would be produced by a non-lethal chemical weapon — possibly one that would affect the hormonal and digestive systems. It appears that a 'heavy sweating bomb', 'flatulence bomb' and 'halitosis bomb' were also considered by a committee at the time. The plan was to make an enemy so smelly they could be quite literally sniffed out of hiding by their opponents.
Ig Nobel Prize awards
Wright Laboratory won the 2007 Ig Nobel Peace Prize for "instigating research & development on a chemical weapon — the so-called 'gay bomb' / 'poof bomb' — that will make enemy soldiers become sexually irresistible to each other."[6]
See also
- Bremelanotide, the only known synthetic aphrodisiac
- Frey effect (science)
- 30 Rock, a sitcom which featured a working gay bomb in the episode "Cooter".
- Brickleberry, a sitcom whose sixth episode, "Gay Bomb", involves a gay bomb.
Notes
- ^ "Pentagon toyed with 'gay bomb'". France 24. Agence France-Presse. 15 June 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Houston Voice Blog". 27 September 2007. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Bernard, Jerome (16 June 2007). "Pentagon once mulled 'gay bomb' to promote love, not war". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Hambrick, Greg (12 June 2007). "Gay Bomb, For Real". Gay Charleston. Archived from the original on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Kay, Jonathan. "Jonathan Kay on the Pentagon's plan to build a "gay bomb": Why is this 2005 story news again?". National Post. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Winners of the Ig Nobel Prize". Improbable Research. 2007. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
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References
- "Harassing, Annoying, and 'Bad Guy' Identifying Chemicals" (PDF). Sunshine Project. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2006. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - Smith, Michael (15 January 2005). "Pentagon planned love bomb". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
- "US military pondered love not war". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 15 January 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- Bransten, Jeremy (30 January 2007). "U.S.: Pentagon Unveils The Next Generation Of Nonlethal Weapons". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- Bernard, Jerome (16 June 2007). "Pentagon once mulled 'gay bomb' to promote love not war". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Ig Nobel awards celebrate the sillier side of science". CNN. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2007.
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External links
- Simpson, Mark (13 June 2007). "Armed and Amorous". The Guardian. UK.
- US military planned 'gay bomb'
- Air force looked at spray to turn enemy gay
- Air Force Considered Gay 'Love Bomb' Against Enemies
- US Military "Gay Bomb" Video (Republican National Convention blog)