In this July 4, 2007 file photo, farmer Digonta Saikia shows a 'Bhut jolokia' or 'ghost chili' pepper plucked from his field in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. After conducting tests, the Indian military has decided to use the thumb-sized world's hottest chili to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects, defense officials said Tuesday, March 23, 2010. (Agencies) |
The Indian military has a new weapon against terrorism: the world's hottest chili. After conducting tests, the military has decided to use the thumb-sized "bhut jolokia," or "ghost chili," to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects, defense officials said Tuesday. The bhut jolokia was accepted by Guinness World Records in 2007 as the world's spiciest chili. It is grown and eaten in India's northeast for its taste, as a cure for stomach troubles and a way to fight the crippling summer heat. It has more than 1,000,000 Scoville units, the scientific measurement of a chili's spiciness. Classic Tabasco sauce ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units, while jalapeno peppers measure anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000. "The chili grenade has been found fit for use after trials in Indian defense laboratories, a fact confirmed by scientists at the Defense Research and Development Organization," Col. R. Kalia, a defense spokesman in the northeastern state of Assam, told reporters. "This is definitely going to be an effective nontoxic weapon because its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hide-outs," R. B. Srivastava, the director of the Life Sciences Department at the New Delhi headquarters of the DRDO said. Srivastava, who led a defense research laboratory in Assam, said trials are also on to produce bhut jolokia-based aerosol sprays to be used by women against attackers and for the police to control and disperse mobs. (Read by Lee Hannon. Lee Hannon is a multimedia journalist at the China Daily Web site.) (Agencies) |
現(xiàn)在印度軍方有了一種新型的對(duì)抗恐怖主義的武器:世界上最辣的辣椒。 印度防務(wù)官員于本周二稱,在經(jīng)過(guò)多番測(cè)試后,印度軍方?jīng)Q定使用這種拇指大小的“鬼椒”來(lái)制造具有催淚瓦斯功效的手榴彈,以制服恐怖主義嫌疑分子。 2007年,鬼椒被《吉尼斯世界紀(jì)錄》認(rèn)定為世界最辣的辣椒。這種辣椒生長(zhǎng)在印度東北部地區(qū),該地區(qū)的人們食用它來(lái)治療胃病和抵御酷暑。 根據(jù)斯科維爾辣度科學(xué)檢測(cè)法,鬼椒的辣度高達(dá)100多萬(wàn)個(gè)斯科維爾單位;而經(jīng)典的塔巴斯科辣椒醬的辣度也僅有2500至5000個(gè)單位,墨西哥胡椒的辣度則在2500至8000個(gè)單位之間。 印度東北部阿薩姆邦的軍方發(fā)言人R?卡利亞上校告訴記者說(shuō):“印度防務(wù)實(shí)驗(yàn)室在進(jìn)行數(shù)次實(shí)驗(yàn)后認(rèn)定,辣椒手榴彈適合作為武器來(lái)使用。印度國(guó)防研究與發(fā)展組織的研究人員也對(duì)此表示認(rèn)同?!?/p> 印度國(guó)防研究與發(fā)展組織新德里總部生命科學(xué)部負(fù)責(zé)人R?B?斯里瓦斯塔瓦說(shuō):“這肯定將是一種有效的無(wú)毒性武器,因?yàn)樗拇碳馕稌?huì)讓恐怖分子透不過(guò)氣來(lái),從而迫使他們現(xiàn)身?!?/p> 阿薩姆邦國(guó)防研究實(shí)驗(yàn)室負(fù)責(zé)人斯里瓦斯塔瓦表示,目前該實(shí)驗(yàn)室還在進(jìn)行生產(chǎn)“鬼椒噴霧器”的實(shí)驗(yàn),這種噴霧器可供女性防身,或幫助警察控制和驅(qū)逐暴徒。 相關(guān)閱讀 (中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 Julie 編輯蔡姍姍) |
Vocabulary: hand grenade:a grenade or explosive shell that is thrown by hand and exploded either by impact or by means of a fuze(手榴彈) crippling:極有害的,嚴(yán)重?fù)p害身體的 pungent:affecting the organs of taste or smell with a sharp acrid sensation(辛辣的,刺激性的) bhut:(in Indian mythology) a spirit or demon(印度的魔鬼,妖怪) |