Tale of the tape

Humble desk adhesive is a tiny particle accelerator

Forget fancy particle accelerators — a cheaper tool for emitting X-rays is right there in the office supply cabinet. Pulling back Scotch tape emits X-rays, the same high-energy light emanating from airport security scanners and the interiors of galaxy clusters, and scientists now have a better understanding of why.

INVISIBLE TAPE Peeling back Scotch tape emits not only blue light from breaking chemical bonds, but also invisible X-rays from separating positive and negative charge.