Although Nobel’s main aim was industrial application, the medicinal link remained crucial: nitroglycerin is still used today in medicine to treat heart diseases, a testament to its vascular effects discovered long ago. The very headaches that marked the risks of nitroglycerin simultaneously highlighted its potency as a blood vessel dilator—an early example of how medicines and explosives share chemical origins.

Interesting Trivia:

The word “dynamite” is derived from the Greek word dynamis, meaning power. Nobel considered calling his invention “Nobel’s Safety Powder” but opted for dynamite instead. Nitroglycerin-induced headaches were among the first clues to its physiological effects. Nobel’s factories were prone to explosions due to nitroglycerin’s instability before his innovation. The molecular basis for nitroglycerin’s medicinal effect via nitric oxide generation was discovered over a century later. Nitroglycerin is still essential in modern medicine for heart patients. Nobel’s dual legacy reminds us how science can both create and destroy.