The Science of Airport Security
Long lines, being patted down, and having your hands swabbed don't make for a wonderful day, but Michael Aranda explains the machines you encounter in airport security and the science and...
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Airport security is the most awkward, confusing, and tedious part of every trip! After spending an hour or so marinating in a long line, you and your bags are scanned with who-knows-what kind of technology, zapped with who-knows-how much radiation, and possibly wiped down with a little swab for who-knows-what reason. Well, we can’t make airport security suck any less. But we can explain exactly what’s being done to you and your bags … what you’re being exposed to … and how the science of security works these days. When you get to the security line, one of the first things you see is probably the bag scanner. The scanner uses X-rays to detect objects inside your bag, as well as how dense they are. One side of the machine emits both low- and high-energ...
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Airport security is the most awkward, confusing, and tedious part of every trip! After spending an hour or so marinating in a long line, you and your bags are scanned with who-knows-what kind of technology, zapped with who-knows-how much radiation, and possibly wiped down with a little swab for who-knows-what reason. Well, we can’t make airport security suck any less. But we can explain exactly what’s being done to you and your bags … what you’re being exposed to … and how the science of security works these days. When you get to the security line, one of the first things you see is probably the bag scanner. The scanner uses X-rays to detect objects inside your bag, as well as how dense they are. One side of the machine emits both low- and high-energ...
