High-octane gasoline is a mixed blessing. Without it modern aviation would be impossible, but as every airman knows, its touchy inflammability makes it more dangerous than dynamite. Last week the Standard Oil Development Co. demonstrated a new high-octane fuel which it hopes will greatly reduce the fire hazard. They tested it by dropping a flaming match into the stuff. The match went out.
The secret of this "safety fuel" is a blend of added materials which raises the gasoline's flash point, i.e., the point at which it vaporizes and forms an explosively inflammable mixture with air. Ordinary high-octane gas vaporizes to this...
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