Researchers with Sticktoitiveness

[ursangnome]

Okay, this one is odd enough that I couldn't make it up. You can power an X-Ray machine with adhesive tape.

From Scientific American
Researchers have discovered that peeling adhesive tape ejects enough radiation to take an x-ray image.
...
How is that possible? It turns out that radiation is released when tape is ripped from a surface. The reason, says Camara: electrons (negatively charged atomic particles) leap from a surface (peeling off of glass or aluminum works, too) to the adhesive side of a freshly yanked strip of tape, traveling so fast that they give off radiation, or energy, when they slam into it.

For an example of a picture taken with the method, follow the link

Comments

[tafkad.livejournal.com]

I use Breathe-Right strips sometimes, and I noticed that a glow emits if I open up its wrapper in the dark. Neat to see the principle behind it. Thanks.

[the-smith-e.livejournal.com]

Did they have to say: "Science Friction"?

[umbran.livejournal.com]

Yep. It was a moral imperative.