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Airport x-ray security scanner diffraction?

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  • 09-02-2007 2:11pm
    #1
    fluppet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 232 ✭✭


    How do airport x-ray security scanners get around the problem of x-ray diffraction? (i.e. how do they prevent people just surrounding an object with a material that will diffract the x-rays?)


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    #2
    Slaanesh
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 1,863 Mod ✭✭✭✭Slaanesh


    I would assume they don't. If they can't see a certain part in the luggage they would just check it by hand.


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    #3
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    They don't. That's why if you are bringing anything involving marzipan to first coat it in tin foil.

    Why? Becayse Marzipan had the same chemical consistancy as Semtex. When I worked in the UK I lost count of the number of times when in Heathrow I'd see SO19 (armed wing of the Met) be dispatched, fully tooled-up, to some old granny bringing her family back a home-made cake.

    About three years ago I was travelling back to Dublin from a family wedding in the UK with my mother and my then finance with the base section of a craft-lamp in my hand luggage. We were flying Ryanair and were bringing all the heavy duty stuff back in hand luggage back in the days when it wasn't checked for weight. Lo-and behold when they X-Ray my luggage, the circular lead-filled base unit comes up, looking for all intents and purposes like an anti-personnel mine with various wires showing in the scan.

    Needless to say, we had a *lot* of explaining to do.


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