Harris, Betty

1940- · Contribution: 1984

Spot test for explosives detection (TATB Spot Test)

Industrial & Mechanical — collage image
Industrial & Mechanical

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.

Impact on the world

Her field test allowed rapid, safe detection of explosives, becoming an important tool in forensic science and counter-terrorism work worldwide.

Life & background

A chemist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Harris developed the TATB Spot Test, a method for quickly identifying explosives in field environments, with lasting applications in public safety and security.

Sources

  1. BlackPast.org; Chemistry World (Royal Society of Chemistry); U.S. Patent 4,618,452