Soldiers Use Silly String to Save Lives

According to MSNBC,American soldiers in Iraq are using Silly String to save their lives.

The troops are getting their families to send out cans of the string, usually used for kids' parties, because it helps them detect booby traps.

Soldiers squirt the neon-coloured goo, which can travel up to 12ft, into buildings before they enter.

If it falls to the ground, no trip wires are present, but if the string catches and hangs in the air, it alerts the troops that the building is booby-trapped.

Because the plastic materialis light, it does not trigger the explosives.

Army specialist Todd Shriver, 28, told his mum Marcelle, 57, members of his unit in Ramadi were using the product after Marines told them of the technique.

Office manager Marcelle sent several cans to her son before appealing to her local church in Pennsylvania for contributions.

She has now collected about 1000 cans. But sending the string to Iraq was a problem because it comes in an aerosol and is considered a hazardous material.

A private pilot is flying them out to Kuwait after hearing of Marcelle's efforts.

Marcelle said: "If I turn on the TV and see a soldier with a can of this on his vest, that would make this all worth it."

The makers of the Silly String brand, Just for Kicks, have offered to make a donation to the collection.

The product is also made by other firms under the name of "party string" or "crazy string".

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