The cool hands that defuse bombs left in Germany from World War II

Michael Hilgers and Marcel Biewald, a bomb disposal team with unexploded ordnance. Photo: David Young/dpa

Every two weeks on average, a dormant World War II bomb is reported to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) service in the German city of Darmstadt. When a call comes, staff move fast.

First, a team of disposal experts takes a closer look at the bomb – how big is it and what condition is it in? Most importantly, what does the detonator located in the nose of the projectile look like?