⚠️This fact has been debunked
This is a persistent myth. Peanut oil was never used in dynamite. The confusion likely stems from the fact that glycerin (used to make nitroglycerin) can be derived from various fats and oils, but peanut oil was never a standard or significant source. Alfred Nobel's dynamite used nitroglycerin absorbed into diatomaceous earth. This myth is widely debunked and makes for an entertaining correction.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite.
Are Peanuts Really Used to Make Dynamite?
You've probably heard it at a trivia night or read it on a random facts website: peanuts are used to make dynamite. It sounds just weird enough to be true. After all, who would make that up?
Well, someone did. And millions of people believed them.
The Explosive Truth
Dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1867, and its key ingredient is nitroglycerin—a highly unstable liquid explosive. Nobel's breakthrough was figuring out how to stabilize nitroglycerin by absorbing it into diatomaceous earth (essentially fossilized algae).
Nowhere in this process do peanuts appear. Not the nuts, not the shells, not even peanut butter.
Where the Myth Comes From
The confusion likely traces back to a kernel of chemistry that got wildly misinterpreted:
- Glycerin is used to make nitroglycerin
- Glycerin can be derived from various fats and oils
- Peanut oil is a fat
See how the logic chain works? The problem is that industrial nitroglycerin production historically used animal fats or other vegetable oils—not peanuts specifically. Peanut oil was never a standard or significant source for explosives manufacturing.
It's like saying "cows are used to make cars" because leather seats exist. Technically there's a connection, but it's a massive stretch.
The Myth Spreads Like Wildfire
This "fact" has appeared in countless trivia books, websites, and even some educational materials. It persists because it hits the sweet spot of being surprising but not unbelievable. Peanuts contain oils. Explosives need chemicals. Our brains connect the dots even when the dots don't actually connect.
The myth also benefits from a lack of consequences. Nobody's going to fact-check their Snapple cap or call out Uncle Jerry at Thanksgiving for his dynamite trivia. The claim just keeps circulating, picking up credibility through sheer repetition.
What Dynamite Actually Contains
Modern dynamite formulations vary, but the core components typically include:
- Nitroglycerin or other explosive compounds
- Absorbent materials like sawdust or wood pulp
- Sodium nitrate or ammonium nitrate as oxidizers
- Stabilizers and binding agents
No legumes required. Your jar of Skippy is safe from the ATF.
Peanuts: Still Impressive Without Explosives
Here's the thing—peanuts don't need a dynamite connection to be interesting. They're not actually nuts (they're legumes). George Washington Carver developed hundreds of uses for them. Peanut allergies are among the most severe food allergies. The average American eats about six pounds of peanuts per year.
But no, they don't blow things up. Sorry to disappoint.
Next time someone drops this "fact" at a party, you'll be armed with the truth. Whether you choose to be that person who corrects them is entirely up to you.