High Speed X-Ray Video: Jumping Beans, Wind-Up Toys and More
Postedabout 2 months agoActiveabout 2 months ago
youtube.comResearchstory
excitedpositive
Debate
20/100
X-Ray TechnologyHigh-Speed ImagingScientific Visualization
Key topics
X-Ray Technology
High-Speed Imaging
Scientific Visualization
A YouTube video showcases high-speed X-ray imaging of various objects, sparking discussion among commenters about the technology, its applications, and safety concerns.
Snapshot generated from the HN discussion
Discussion Activity
Active discussionFirst comment
4d
Peak period
20
96-108h
Avg / period
10.5
Comment distribution21 data points
Loading chart...
Based on 21 loaded comments
Key moments
- 01Story posted
Nov 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM EST
about 2 months ago
Step 01 - 02First comment
Nov 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM EST
4d after posting
Step 02 - 03Peak activity
20 comments in 96-108h
Hottest window of the conversation
Step 03 - 04Latest activity
Nov 12, 2025 at 1:37 AM EST
about 2 months ago
Step 04
Generating AI Summary...
Analyzing up to 500 comments to identify key contributors and discussion patterns
ID: 45846525Type: storyLast synced: 11/20/2025, 12:08:29 PM
Want the full context?
Jump to the original sources
Read the primary article or dive into the live Hacker News thread when you're ready.
You don't want to subject yourself needlessly to ionizing radiation. A little here and there is probably okay at small doses and for valid reasons, but it all adds up over a lifetime.
He didn't mention how much X-ray radiation this puts out in the first half or so of the video. I worry it's more than a medical photograph as it's continuous high sample rate video, but I'm not an expert. Would be curious to know.
Also curious about the shielding and leaking.
Don't damage your DNA if you don't have to. This is a cool, semi-educational video. I don't think I'd take the same risk though.
Funny thing: it’s actually rare to get radiation damage to human hands and feet since there’s not too much growing tissue there!
On the contrary, I was told stories in school that old IR doctors used to lose the hair on their hands after using the fluoro for years. The fingernails are also radiosensitive.
The main reason that X-rays of the hands and feet are usually very low risk is because the beam intensity (dose) required to penetrate the small amount of tissue is very low. Because the video uses a high-sensitivity detector (photon counter) the dose may be even less than usual. However, it would still be a regulatory violation if you did it in a hospital.
Typical fluoro skin entrance exposure rate to go through someone's hand is on the order of 1-3 millisieverts per minute. With a more advanced detector (like this one) it may be lower, but increasing the frame rate or resolution will tend to require higher dose rate. The associated risk of skin cancer is quite small. But please be aware that unnecessary X-Ray imaging of living things is against the law in most jurisdictions.
NCRP 172 (published 2015) provides a direct comparison of digital to film for some examinations. For upper GI fluoroscopy without oral contrast the DRL for film is 3.9 mSv and for digital is 1.5 mSv. I think this is roughly typical.
> Also curious about the shielding and leaking.
If you'd watch the video the last part explains exactly that. The energy levels involved, how the beam is stopped, how backscatter is checked. He is definitely no dummy who just found an x-ray machine in a dump and just powered it up for clicks and giggles.
see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_no-threshold_model
Spurious xray emission from triboelectric effect.
Phase change of various materials changing absorption characteristics.
Capacitor discharge.
- Put a crystal of something on a turntable and see if you can capture a video of its scattering angles. Bonus: read the movie and turn it into a 3D model for viewing.
Did you ever XRF that windup toy to see what it was contaminated with? I'll throw in my lot with one of the commenters and guess "Lead."
I had never considered an application of use outside of medicine.
So, my day is now accounted for. In addition to "overdue training" on things I already know, I will be youtubing all the x-ray, MRI, ultrasound fun things that you would never see otherwise.
Thank you OP!
It's also neat how he describes how the acquisition works: 32bit tiffs, pci card, real-time linux, and a special rack-mounted server.