On the 19th of November, Professor Kim In-Soo’s pharmaceutical research team developed a ratiometric fluorescence amplification sensor that can selectively detect nitro-explosive chemical compounds for the first time. Nitro-compounds can rapidly produce gas even without oxygen in the atmosphere, and they are known to be highly reactive and explosive. The most common compounds are trinitrotoluene and nitromethane, and these are used as base elements for constructing explosive materials. Additionally, nitro-compounds are included in the process of pharmaceutical production, especially for antiarrhythmic treatment (nifedipine) and erectile dysfunction treatment. With enough force or heat, however, nitro-compounds thus must be taken care of with caution. Through the fluorescence indicator displacement assay, the research team was able to create a fluorescent amplification sensor that selectively responded to nitro-aromatic chemical compounds.