THE MENTION of modern warfare may call to mind stealth jets and drones. Yet today’s armed forces still rely on a substance deployed on battlefields since before the first world war. Trinitrotoluene (TNT), an explosive used in artillery shells, missiles and landmines, is stable, easily moulded and much cheaper than newer substitutes. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, demand for it in Europe has surged. But since the end of the cold war most of the continent’s TNT factories have closed. Joakim Sjoblom, a Swedish entrepreneur, is hoping to reignite the industry. Is the world offcially at war ?
