Newswise — The skin and bone structure of a chicken are very similar to the composition of a human hand -- which is why blowing up a thawed chicken from the store provides a good lesson in explosives safety, according to Dr. Paul Worsey, who runs the world's only hands-on Explosives Camp for high school students in Rolla, Mo.
Worsey, an explosives expert and professor of mining engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, started the summer camp in 2004, when three students attended. Now in its fifth year, the camp has become so popular that three sessions are being offered this June (June 8-14, June 15-21 and June 22-28).
The 2008 camp sessions, which have long since filled up, are limited to 20 students each. All of the campers have expressed interest in pursuing a mining engineering degree at Missouri S&T or elsewhere. Missouri S&T is the only university in the nation that offers an explosives engineering minor as part of its mining engineering curriculum.
In addition to blowing up chickens, the campers feel concussions from underground explosions, help generate a 150-foot water spout, experience demolition demonstrations and fashion fireworks displays.
"A bunch of my friends were really jealous when they found out I was going to Explosives Camp," says Jennifer Babb, of St. Louis, one of last year's campers.
The students come from as far away as Hawaii to learn the art of blowing stuff up. Many of the activities take place at Missouri S&T's Experimental Mine. Each day, the campers participate in classroom instruction and safety training before initiating an explosion.
"It has to be planned out," Babb says. "It's not just boom, boom, boom."
Worsey makes sure everybody learns a lot, wears their safety goggles and ear plugs, and has a good time. He says he really enjoys watching the students' reactions when they experience the percussion of a big blast.
"It just hits you right in the face," says Harrison Ray, of Harrison, Ark., another one of last year's campers.
Those planning to attend the 2008 sessions are all U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old. The cost of the camp, including room, board and field trips, is $500.
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