Few people set out to become x-ray experts. Not many children dream of becoming the next Wilhelm Rontgen. But life moves in unexpected directions. Whether you are a security professional, doctor, or physicist, x-rays impact your life. So we put together an x-ray guide with nearly 20 resources to get you up-to-speed on this important topic.

Our mission is to design and manufacture the world’s best x-ray security scanners. And this x-ray guide is tailored to those goals. But this resource also includes other x-ray uses, including how NASA uses the tool to study outer space. Read on, explore the amazing world of x-rays, and contact us whenever you need to purchase an x-ray unit.

HOW X-RAYS WORK

• X-ray (Wikipedia): Covers range of topics including the nature, production and uses of x-rays, and units of measure and exposure.
• Radiography (Wikipedia): Focuses on medical x-rays for seeing into the human body.
• What are x-rays? (LiveScience): Explains how x-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation (EM) and shows where they fall on the EM spectrum.
• How x-rays see through your skin (YouTube): 5-minute video explaining x-ray scanner mechanics.

X-RAY HISTORY

• Critical moments in x-ray history You Need To Know (Astrophysics, Inc.): Our handy x-ray history timeline.
• History of radiography (NDT Resource Center): Detailed x-ray history and an excellent resource for further reading.
• History of x-rays (YouTube): 24-minute video about x-ray uses in medicine.
• X-rays And Space (NASA): Overview of how scientists use x-rays to study space.

X-RAY SCREENING USES

• How airport security works (HowStuffWorks): Shows how airport x-ray scanners work and how operators find hidden threats.
• Cargo screening (Department of Homeland Security): Overview of U.S. cargo screening programs.
• Courthouse security (various): x-ray units secure more than airports. Astrophysics, Inc. units protect facilities ranging from ports and border crossings to prisons and courthouses. These videos show scanners protecting courthouses in Elko, NV and Hancock County, IN.
• Critical Infrastructure security (Department of Homeland Security): Resources, advice and tools for keeping infrastructure safe.

https://web.archive.org/web/20180928225052/https://www.dhs.gov/topic/critical-infrastructure-securityGOVERNMENT RESOURCES

• Radiation-emitting products (Food and Drug Administration): Government website with x-ray descriptions, news, and research.
• Cabinet x-ray systems (closed x-ray systems) (Food and Drug Administration): Guidance for cabinet x-ray systems used in security screenings and quality control.

RADIATION

• Radiation dose chart (xkcd): Handy chart showing how much radiation a person absorbs from different sources.
• How dangerous are x-rays? (YouTube): 4-minute video explaining how safe x-rays are and whether you should worry about side effects.
• Is radiation dangerous? (YouTube): 5-minute video explaining how common radiation is and whether it’s actually dangerous.

FOR FUN

• Can you spot the contraband in these airport baggage x-rays? (Wired): Browse x-ray images and test your ability to find hidden threats.
• Banana equivalent dose (Wikipedia):https://web.archive.org/web/20180928225052/https://twitter.com/AstrophysicsInc Informal method of measuring radiation exposure by comparing it to the natural radiation found in 1 banana.

 Do you have a favorite website or video we forgot to include in the x-ray guide? Tweet us @AstrophysicsInc – we might even add it to this page!