but the truth is there are many internationally

prohibited weapons that are so powerful,

that we should refrain ourselves from using them.

Here are the top 10 weapons deemed so deadly

that they're prohibited by international agreements.

Number 1O: blinding laser beams.

Sometime in the mid 1990s the US air force

had funded research on how they can destroy eye sight

at long distances using high powered lasers.

After all, disrupting the vision of your enemies

could help tip the scales of war.

During that time, the justification to its development

was that it's a more humain weapon than napalm,

radiation or bombs.

The research continued until the human rights watch

caught out the unnecessary danger it could bring.

Understanding its impact, the United Nations prohibited

the use of laser beams when it adopted the protocol

on blinding laser weapons.

While the treaty was created over two decades ago,

its lessons are still felt to this day.

It's become the precursor of preemptive banning of weapons,

that could prove to be very concerning

for safety and security.

For example, the discussion about lethal autonomous weapons

is already leaning towards prohibition,

even during its development.

Much like how it was with blinding lasers.

Number 9: biological weapons.

Biological weapons inflict some of

the most traumatizing means of devastation.

So much so,

that the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention was made.

This was the first multi-lateral disarmament treaty

banning the development,

production and stock piling of an entire category

of weapons of mass destruction.

It took full force on March 26, 1975.

Once such weapon, etched in history was Rinderpest,

a deadly cattle plague which Genghis Khan used

to invade Europe in the 13th century.

This resulted to a contagious disease

that caused dehydration

and eventual death of various animals,

upsetting natural ecosystems,

as well as human food supplies.

Perhaps the most troubling is what the call chimera viruses.

This refers to tweaking the genetic structure of viruses

such as anthrax and smallpox making them even more lethal.

Potentially triggering two diseases at once.

For example, the Soviet Union's chimera project

studied the feasibility of combining smallpox and Ebola

into one supervirus back in the late 1980s.

Just think of the horror such a weapon could bring,

and you'd understand why it makes sense

to ban these weapons.

Number 8: certain bombs.

We all know bombs are destructive forces

used in warfare,

but the following ones

are especially devastating,

to the point they have to be prohibited.

The cluster bomb for example,

indiscriminately damages civilians, combatants

and even infrastructure.

This type of bomb releases multiple projectiles on impact,

which makes it use extremely devastating.

It can also leave behind unexploded debris,

causing further danger.

As such, the Convention on Cluster Munitions,

held in May 2008, banned its use.

Bringing 108 signatories and 103 parties behind the treaty.

Another is a dirty bomb,

which is somewhat like a weak or nuclear bomb,

except it uses conventional explosives

to spread dangerous radioactive material over a wide area.

Rather than a normal fission reaction,

this can cause alteration to DNA,

resulting in cancer, mutations and radiation sickness.

Furthermore, it leaves a desolate wasteland in its wake,

so there's that problem.

Of course, nuclear weapons are the most popular

for obvious reasons.

The Tsar Bomba is probably the most fearsome,

described to cause similar damage

to simultaneously detonating 3,800 Hiroshima bombs.

It's dangers are well acknowledged

that the treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

was created in July 2017,

which now has 57 states that participate in it.

Of course, that still means there are many nations out there

who still hold these weapons.

Number 7: expanding bullets.

Sustaining gunshot wounds can be deadly,

but you know what's worse?

Getting hit by an expanding bullet.

Expanding ordnances also given the moniker

of hollow point bullets or dum-dums are designed to mushroom

upon entering a target

in order to stop the projective from leaving the body.

Unlike regular bullets that just penetrate a targeted area,

expanding bullets cause maximum tissue damage

as they spread out upon impact.

This type of bullet was formerly used by US policemen

to mitigate collateral damage,

but was discontinued after understanding

how lethal it could be.

If that's not enough,

some are coated with poison

which could lead to secondary infections

if the expanding ordnance fail to go for the kill.

Some even contain anthrax spores or botulinum toxin

which is rather scary in conjunction with the gunshot wound

because of the imposing threat.

This kind of bullet was banned under

the Hague Convention of 1899.

Even conservation, hunting and veterinary groups

have filed a formal petition

with the Environmental Protection Agency

to ban the addition of poison to bullets,

as it can severely backfire on humans

when we consume hunted animals.

Number 6: punji sticks.

During the Vietnam war,

a small and poorly equipped guerrilla group,

noticed the Viet Cong was at a disadvantage

as they faced American forces

that had more advanced weaponry,

but they were able to turn things around

with a little bit of ingenuity using bamboos and hardwood,

which were later dubbed punji sticks.

Punji sticks are sharpened pieces of bamboo

that are hardened by fire

and boast lethal sharp points

to make them even more fearsome.

They're sometimes coated with poison,

making it a simple yet effective defensive strategy

at the time.

These sticks were enough to strike fear

into the hearts of unsuspecting foot soldiers

who dared to venture into the lush jungles,

especially since they were hidden almost everywhere

as booby traps.

This weapon's notorious reputation gave it a spot in

the 1980 Geneva Convention where this type of weaponry

was banned.

Punji sticks were deemed to be excessively deadly

and it was agreed that they have indiscriminate effects,

brought about by their poison coating.

To date, there are 50 signatories and 125 parties

that stand behind the treaty.

Number 5: incendiary weapons.

Incendiary weapons set fire to everything in their path.

Indiscriminately affecting both combatants

and innocent civilians.

Aside from this painful damage to people

that's difficult to treat,

they can also destroy infrastructure as well.

Their danger is acknowledged worldwide.

So much that over 110 nations participated

in the 1980 convention on incendiary weapons.

Unfortunately, despite this agreement being in place,

the use of such horrible weaponry is still evident today.

The Human Rights Watch

accused Russian and Syrian warplanes

of using incendiary bombs

and dropping them on civilian areas in Syria

back in June 2016.

Numerous pieces of video evidence exists

along with witness testimonies

and physical reminants of the bombs,

proving this banned weapon has indeed been used.

It's not just Russia and Syria.

The United States is also guilty,

as it admitted to using white phosphorous in Fallujah.

This material ignites when it's exposed to oxygen

and victims have described the sensation

as feeling like having their skin melted.

Number 4: non-detectable fragments.

As the term implies,

this type of weapon cannot be seen

by normal diagnostic procedures.

The most common examples include, minimal metal mines.

Mines constructed of mostly plastic, wood or glass,

so that they can't be detected

by conventional metal mine detectors.

This makes them very troublesome.

Consequently, they're prohibited from use as per

Protocol 1 of the 1979 Convention of Conventional Weapons.

The most pressing reason they're banned

is because they make it incredibly difficult

to treat victims of these weapons,

because non-metal fragments are so difficult to find,

surgeons have a challenging time

trying to locate every piece.

This leads to unnecessary suffering for the victim

since there's a huge chance

some pieces are still left unaddressed.

They're lack of metal

also means the mines are extremely difficult to detect

with metal detectors once a conflict has been resolved.

Hence, they'll potentially cause unnecessary harm

to civilians in the future.

The use of land mines,

especially those with non-detectable fragments,

is so bothersome that over 80% of the world's countries

are signatories to a treaty banning it.

While there are a few countries who aren't part of it,

they don't use or produce weapons

with non-detectable fragments.

Number 3: twisting blade.

Any knife can cause mortal damage to anyone it stabs,

but nothing could compare

to the damage inflicted by a knife,

like the Jagdkommando Integral Tri-Dagger Fixed Blade.

It's defining features is its three edges

that twist from tip to the body,

so it's hard not to notice it.

While other knives have multiple uses like cutting cords,

preparing food and many more,

this twisting blade apparently has only one sole purpose,

to kill.

They say that if you wish to kill someone

with a normal blade, you need to twist the knife

after you've stabbed the poor victim.

The twisting blade saves you that extra step,

making it the ultimate close range killing weapon

that leaves nasty wounds which prove difficult

or impossible to stitch up.

That description in itself,

is enough for it to be covered

in the Protocol 1 of the Geneva Convention.

It says: it is prohibited to employ weapons, projectiles,

material and methods of warfare of a nature

to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering.

Excessive injury: check.

Extreme suffering: another big check.

Number 2: brass knuckles.

If you've seen the film Constantine

or the TV show Sopranos,

you may have already seen brass knuckles

in several fight scenes.

Despite how they're being glamorized though,

they're actually prohibited in some states.

States like California, Michigan, Illinois, Vermont

and South Carolina have banned the use of brass knuckles

and for good reason.

While they aren't as deadly as most

of the items discussed in this list,

they can deliver serious injuries.

From gnarly cuts to permanent eye damage

and broken bones.

Contrary to what its name implies,

this hand-held weapon can also be made of acrylic steal

or hardened plastic.

Yet despite being widely prohibited,

some individuals are able to have one provided

they acquire necessary permits.

Bouncers and bodyguards are usually authorized

to legally carry and use them when the job requires.

Just another reason not to mess with a bouncer.

Number 1: chemical weapons.