this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2025
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Explain Like I'm Five

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ELI5 How come pipe bombs or bombs in general thru the mail don't go off in the post offices or the truck or being delivered? Like how did the Unabomber get away with so many without going off? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 months ago by Patnou@lemmy.world to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world
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Not looking for how to make a pipe bomb. But the jostling the movement and everything how would that not set it off?

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[โ€“] Buffalobuffalo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The mail carrier doesn't light the wick until its delivered.

Talking out my ass, but not all explosives are vulnerable to jostling. I.e., a solid state excitable may require a high energy trigger. Like how bullets don't explode whenever. Also, packing peanuts.

[โ€“] Delilah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 2 months ago

You can light C4 on fire and hit it with a hammer as it burns and it still will not detonate