Good bye tin foil hello scotch tape!

[Pinki]

NEW YORK – Just two weeks after a Nobel Prize highlighted theoretical work on subatomic particles, physicists are announcing a startling discovery about a much more familiar form of matter: Scotch tape. It turns out that if you peel the popular adhesive tape off its roll in a vacuum chamber, it emits X-rays. The researchers even made an X-ray image of one of their fingers.

Who knew? Actually, more than 50 years ago, some Russian scientists reported evidence of X-rays from peeling sticky tape off glass. But the new work demonstrates that you can get a lot of X-rays, a study co-author says.

"We were very surprised," said Juan Escobar. "The power you could get from just peeling tape was enormous."

Escobar, a graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles, reports the work with UCLA colleagues in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

He suggests that with some refinements, the process might be harnessed for making inexpensive X-ray machines for paramedics or for places where electricity is expensive or hard to get. After all, you could peel tape or do something similar in such machines with just human power, like cranking. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081022/..._tape_surprise

[Ryan]

That is crazy! If it has the potential to emit that much radiation, couldn't it be dangerous?

Two things:

1. Who was bored enough to see if they could make an X-ray by pulling off scotch tape?

2. How the hell does an adhesive losing its bond create radiation?!?!

[Pinki]

That is crazy! If it has the potential to emit that much radiation, couldn't it be dangerous?

Two things:

1. Who was bored enough to see if they could make an X-ray by pulling off scotch tape?

2. How the hell does an adhesive losing its bond create radiation?!?!

I don't know the answers to those questions, but note to self: Replace scotch tape use with duct tape.

Boy my Christmas packages are going to look ugly this year...

[Ryan]

You mean you haven't always used duct tape for presents?

[Pinki]

You mean you haven't always used duct tape for presents?

No duct tape is a more recent acquisition -- I didn't grow up in Vance County, NC I just unfortunately moved here

[pgg]

I always used medical tape, duct tape, or a staple gun and I've never been in NC

[Ryan]

[CTR man]

HaHa, It's even in your color of choice Pinki. Just don't let the guys in Torrance, CA know of your taping exploits.

[Pinki]

I always used medical tape, duct tape, or a staple gun and I've never been in NC

Well maybe you should move here then.. NC is not a bad place to be...just this particular County is a bit ... left behind...

[Pinki]

I have some

[Pinki]

HaHa, It's even in your color of choice Pinki. Just don't let the guys in Torrance, CA know of your taping exploits.

It will be our secret

I have the duct tape, I just hadn't thought of using it for Xmas presents before Just for ...ehh...people in my life who don't behave

[CTR man]

Some people have been known to make clothing out of duct tape. Just Google Duct tape clothing and the opportunities are endless.

[Ducky]

We recently gave a friend a present wrapped in brown lunch bags and duct tape. I wanted to cover the entire thing with duct tape, but hubby said he wanted the friend to still like us afterward.

[Pinki]

Some people have been known to make clothing out of duct tape. Just Google Duct tape clothing and the opportunities are endless.

Sounds painful!!!

[Pinki]

We recently gave a friend a present wrapped in brown lunch bags and duct tape. I wanted to cover the entire thing with duct tape, but hubby said he wanted the friend to still like us afterward.

I'm sure he appreciated it and got a bit of a chuckle too.

[TXCharlie]

2. How the hell does an adhesive losing its bond create radiation?!?!

My guess would be that it's from the static electricity that it creates - I remember back in High School, we had a demo that showed scotch tape emitting a dim light from static electrity when you unroll it.

I wouldn't think it would generate any more X-rays than any other static discharge though - Which is extremely low.

[Pinki]

My guess would be that it's from the static electricity that it creates - I remember back in High School, we had a demo that showed scotch tape emitting a dim light from static electrity when you unroll it.

I wouldn't think it would generate any more X-rays than any other static discharge though - Which is extremely low.

Someone paid attention in Science class!

[Ducky]

Here's a neat trick: Open a bandaid package in the dark. It emits a surprisingly bright light.

[Pinki]

Here's a neat trick: Open a bandaid package in the dark. It emits a surprisingly bright light.

I'll try that!

[Buttercup]

Here's a neat trick: Open a bandaid package in the dark. It emits a surprisingly bright light.

Duckylicious, why are you opening band-aids packages in the dark?