Sticky tape X-rays: by Nature Video

Peeling sticky tape emits energy that extends into the X-ray regime, reports a study in Nature. The research provides evidence for a phenomenon that was first observed more than 50 years ago.

It is well known that unwinding sticky tape produces sparks of light that can easily be seen by the naked eye in a dark room. This phenomenon, known as triboluminescence, is produced by the friction generated when two contacting surfaces move relative to each other.

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Science & Technology

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• nature
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• naturevideo
• nature magazine
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• sticky tape
• cellotape
• xray
• emit xray
• peeling sticky tape
• science
• research
• scientific research
• sellotape
• triboluminescence

[cyberslick18]

@Treblaine Well, first off, they aren't getting anywhere near 500mRads/hour, if you go to university you know how ineffective a hand held Geiger counter is. Burst radiation is not the same. Second, the rate at which triboluminescence diffuses has already proven to be extreme, which is clearly visible from the film they presented. Even inches from the source are no longer concentrated enough to pose risks.

I should know, I'm in the video :)

[jtucc210]

If you can create a vacuum in a container, then the vacuum chamber isn't necessary. What is required, however is a turbo pump to generate a good enough vacuum. I've found this so far from my current research as this is the topic of my research.

[Riskteven]

@yanluo75 Thanks for all that information, and yes, there are lots of X-ray sources in space that are certainly interesting to explore.

[yanluo75]

@Riskteven Exactly! Think of it as something similar to an infrared camera. It converts infrared radiation to visible light, allowing it to be recorded, for example. in a nutshell, that's what Chandra, the telescope operated by Nasa, does: Generates images based on frequency shifting (X-Ray to visible light.)

[Riskteven]

@yanluo75 And this will then be acquired on a photographic film or camera CCD, right?

[yanluo75]

@Riskteven It helps 'translating' the X-ray to visible light. It kind of works like this: X-rays are emitted, transverse the semi-vacuum, and hits the scintillator. The material then converts the invisible, high-frequency, high-energy x-ray into visible light (which is also radiation, only on a lower frequency.)

[Riskteven]

@yanluo75 Is that necressary for the actual X ray filming or is it only to make the rays visible on video?

[yanluo75]

@Riskteven , It's a device that contains a kind of material that, when hit by a specific kind of radiation (ionizing radiation, able to free electrons from materials they hit) generates a flash of light.

[Riskteven]

@yanluo75 And what does that do?

[yanluo75]

@Riskteven It's a scintillator.

[Riskteven]

What is he placing at 3:23? Sounds like he says "Sympta layer"

[happinesson]

This phenomenon, is an awe!