tabun

Tabun is an extremely toxic chemical warfare agent, similar in action to sarin. It is an organophosphorus compound that affects the transmission of impulses through the nervous system. Even a small amount can cause paralysis and respiratory failure, leading to death.12

Tabun was first developed by chemists working for IG Farben in Germany in the mid-1930s and was known as GA in U.S. nomenclature. Approximately 12,000 tons were produced for the German army during World War II, though it was never used. After the war, the United States, the Soviet Union, and other nations also produced tabun and other nerve agents as weapons.2

It is important to note that "Tabun man" refers to a strain of Neanderthaloid man found in a cave in Israel and is unrelated to the chemical compound.3