Another one of those accidental discoveries has produced a potent electronic warfare tool. Coal ash, the residue from burning coal at high temperatures, produces a material that, if mixed with paint, produces a material that reduces the effectiveness of radar and thermal (heat detecting) sensors. The new material is cheap and when applied to vehicles, equipment, and even clothing, will make it much more difficult for high tech sensors to find things on the battlefield. Because this technology is so cheap (the U.S. government tried to keep it secret as soon as its military applications were discovered), this development is likely to hurt American forces more than it helps them.