Prior to dynamite, nitroglycerine, which explodes easily, was commonly used as an explosive, but accidental explosions were a major probability, as it is a highly shock sensitive liquid. In dynamite, the nitroglycerine is absorbed by certain types of soil?, typically "diatomaceous earth", to form the safely handled dynamite. However, after long term storage, the nitroglycerine sometimes leaks out. This is a serious safety hazard, and has led to a decrease in the popularity of dynamite in recent years.
Dynamite comes from a greek word. Nobel also named it "Nobel's Safety Blasting Powder".