Montreal Gazette - Tight security at airport a needed delay; The Right Chemistry

(Joe Schwarcz)

"Do you have any liquids, gels or powdered fruit drinks?" Except for the powdered fruit drinks, such questions have become routine at airports. But back on July 10, 2006, I had no idea why I was being asked this bizarre question. Why would the agent be concerned about my toiletry and dietary habits? I couldn't make heads or tails of it.

The only connection with flight that sprang to mind was with Tang, the orange-flavoured crystals that John Glenn took along on his orbital mission in 1962. But we were travelling from London to Budapest and that trip was presumably not going to take us through outer space."