X-Ray Vision
Encyclopedia
In science fiction
stories or superhero
comics
, X-ray vision is the ability to see through physical objects at the discretion of the holder of this superpower. The most famous possessor of this ability is DC Comics
' iconic superhero character, Superman
.
Although called X-ray vision, this power has little to do with the actual effect of X-ray
s. Instead, it is usually presented as the ability to selectively see through certain objects as though they are invisible, translucent or not present, in order to see objects or surfaces beyond or deep to the affected object or material. Thus, Superman can see through walls to see the bad guys beyond, or see through Lois Lane's dress to determine the colour of her underwear (in Superman: The Movie, Warner Brothers, 1978). In such cases, the visions seen are generally in full color and three-dimensional. How such an effect might be created via x-rays is unexplained (the x-rays from the viewer's eyes would need to bounce back to his eyes the same way as normal light reflects off objects and into the viewer's eyes: x-rays simply pass through an object and continue on their way. X-ray films are made as x-rays pass through an object and then through the x-ray film. The images seen on x-ray film are "shadows" of the objects the x-rays passed through on their way to the film). As depicted, x-ray vision is actually more of a form of the supposed psychic ability of remote viewing
.
and medical
imaging. Security agencies are experimenting with applications of imaging devices which can "see" through clothing (using terahertz waves). Such devices are being deployed in some airports as a way of detecting contraband, such as guns, which may be carried beneath a person's clothing. The devices have created some degree of controversy from personal privacy advocates who worry about screeners being able to see people "naked.". There also exist certain night-vision equipped video cameras that can be modified to see through clothing at a frequency just below visible light. Such imaging is not true x-ray vision, but rather shows variations in heat radiation rising from the skin beneath the clothing which can provide some detail of the body beneath.
" which displayed the face of a smiling boy wearing glasses with spirals on the lenses looking at his hand through which he could see the bones.
Superman
, who once had a heat producing function before that power was separated as heat vision
, and the protagonist of the 1963 film X
(aka X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes).
The 1934 novel The Lady With the X-Ray Eyes
features one of the first literary characters with X-ray vision.
In the TV show The Greatest American Hero
Ralph Hinkley has x-ray vision.
In the TV show Lois and Clark, a misfit uses his X-ray vision to look in a dressing room, only to be blocked by Superman, who angrily tells him the most despicable action a superhero can do is use X-ray vision to spy on the girls' locker room. Although in a different episode, Lois Lane temporarily possesses X-ray vision and it is implied that she uses the ability to appreciate Superman/Kent's posterior.
In the movie Superman Returns
, Superman uses the X-ray vision to see into the interior of Lois Lane's body in order to check for internal injuries. This is also done in Superman III
when Superman checks a broken bone of Jimmy Olsen's to determine the damage.
In the anime and manga series Naruto
, the Hyuuga clan possesses the Byakugan, an eye condition which confers a sort of x-ray vision, along with limited thermographic
capabilities and the ability to see the flow of chakra.
In the Bionicle
storyline, a Kanohi mask called Akaku endows its user with X-Ray Vision. A more powerful version, the Akaku Nuva, grants X-Ray vision to the user and those around him (and can see through illusions).
In the video games Super Metroid
, Metroid Prime
and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
, Samus
acquires an X-Ray Scope or Visor that allows the player to see hidden recesses in walls and enemies that are outside the normal and infrared
vision spectrums.
In the comic Buster
there is a strip called X-Ray Specs whose hero, Ray, has a pair of glasses which provide him with x-ray vision.
In the Pokémon
series, the "Gleam Eyes Pokémon", Luxray has the ability to use X-Ray vision, to spot prey hiding behind objects.
In the Harry Potter series, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody has an eye which can see through many objects including ceilings and walls.
In the 2011 fighting game Mortal Kombat, the X-Ray special is a devastating move which one fighter performs on the other, while the view changes to "X-Ray" vision, to show the internal damage the body endures.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories or superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
, X-ray vision is the ability to see through physical objects at the discretion of the holder of this superpower. The most famous possessor of this ability is DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' iconic superhero character, Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
Although called X-ray vision, this power has little to do with the actual effect of X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
s. Instead, it is usually presented as the ability to selectively see through certain objects as though they are invisible, translucent or not present, in order to see objects or surfaces beyond or deep to the affected object or material. Thus, Superman can see through walls to see the bad guys beyond, or see through Lois Lane's dress to determine the colour of her underwear (in Superman: The Movie, Warner Brothers, 1978). In such cases, the visions seen are generally in full color and three-dimensional. How such an effect might be created via x-rays is unexplained (the x-rays from the viewer's eyes would need to bounce back to his eyes the same way as normal light reflects off objects and into the viewer's eyes: x-rays simply pass through an object and continue on their way. X-ray films are made as x-rays pass through an object and then through the x-ray film. The images seen on x-ray film are "shadows" of the objects the x-rays passed through on their way to the film). As depicted, x-ray vision is actually more of a form of the supposed psychic ability of remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
.
Real world X-rays
X-rays have many practical uses for scientificScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
imaging. Security agencies are experimenting with applications of imaging devices which can "see" through clothing (using terahertz waves). Such devices are being deployed in some airports as a way of detecting contraband, such as guns, which may be carried beneath a person's clothing. The devices have created some degree of controversy from personal privacy advocates who worry about screeners being able to see people "naked.". There also exist certain night-vision equipped video cameras that can be modified to see through clothing at a frequency just below visible light. Such imaging is not true x-ray vision, but rather shows variations in heat radiation rising from the skin beneath the clothing which can provide some detail of the body beneath.
X-ray Specs
In comic books in the latter half of the 20th century, there often appeared an advertisement for "X-ray SpecsX-Ray Specs (novelty)
X-Ray Specs are an American novelty item, purported to allow the user to see through or into solid objects. In reality the glasses merely create an optical illusion; no X-rays are involved...
" which displayed the face of a smiling boy wearing glasses with spirals on the lenses looking at his hand through which he could see the bones.
Examples
The best known figures with "x-ray vision" are the fictional superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, who once had a heat producing function before that power was separated as heat vision
Heat vision
Heat vision may refer to:*Thermography, image production using infrared radiation*Infrared vision, a capability of detecting infrared radiation*Heat vision, a fictional superpower...
, and the protagonist of the 1963 film X
X (1963 film)
X is a 1963 science fiction/horror motion picture.Directed by Roger Corman from a script by Ray Russell and Robert Dillon, X stars Ray Milland as Dr. James Xavier. A world renowned scientist, Dr. Xavier experiments with X-ray vision and things go horribly wrong...
(aka X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes).
The 1934 novel The Lady With the X-Ray Eyes
The Lady With the X-Ray Eyes
The Lady With the X-Ray Eyes is an absurdist fiction novel by Bulgarian writer Svetoslav Minkov, first published in Germany in 1934. It contains many sarcastic, parodic, diabolic and absurdist elements concerning the superficial nature of modern society...
features one of the first literary characters with X-ray vision.
In the TV show The Greatest American Hero
The Greatest American Hero
The Greatest American Hero is an American comedy-drama television series that aired for three seasons from 1981 to 1983 on ABC. Created by producer Stephen J. Cannell, it premiered as a two-hour movie pilot on March 18, 1981...
Ralph Hinkley has x-ray vision.
In the TV show Lois and Clark, a misfit uses his X-ray vision to look in a dressing room, only to be blocked by Superman, who angrily tells him the most despicable action a superhero can do is use X-ray vision to spy on the girls' locker room. Although in a different episode, Lois Lane temporarily possesses X-ray vision and it is implied that she uses the ability to appreciate Superman/Kent's posterior.
In the movie Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
, Superman uses the X-ray vision to see into the interior of Lois Lane's body in order to check for internal injuries. This is also done in Superman III
Superman III
Superman III is a 1983 superhero film and the third film in the Superman film series based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero. Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are joined by new cast members Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn and...
when Superman checks a broken bone of Jimmy Olsen's to determine the damage.
In the anime and manga series Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, the Hyuuga clan possesses the Byakugan, an eye condition which confers a sort of x-ray vision, along with limited thermographic
Thermography
Infrared thermography, thermal imaging, and thermal video are examples of infrared imaging science. Thermal imaging cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum and produce images of that radiation, called thermograms...
capabilities and the ability to see the flow of chakra.
In the Bionicle
Bionicle
Bionicle is a line of toys by the LEGO Group marketed primarily for 5- to 16-year-olds. The line was launched on December 30, 2000 in Europe and June/July 2001 in Canada and the United States. "Bionicle" is a portmanteau constructed from the words "biological" and "chronicle"...
storyline, a Kanohi mask called Akaku endows its user with X-Ray Vision. A more powerful version, the Akaku Nuva, grants X-Ray vision to the user and those around him (and can see through illusions).
In the video games Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
, Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
, Samus
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
acquires an X-Ray Scope or Visor that allows the player to see hidden recesses in walls and enemies that are outside the normal and infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
vision spectrums.
In the comic Buster
Buster (comic)
Buster was a long-running British comic which carried a mixture of humour and adventure strips, although the former increasingly replaced the latter...
there is a strip called X-Ray Specs whose hero, Ray, has a pair of glasses which provide him with x-ray vision.
In the Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
series, the "Gleam Eyes Pokémon", Luxray has the ability to use X-Ray vision, to spot prey hiding behind objects.
In the Harry Potter series, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody has an eye which can see through many objects including ceilings and walls.
In the 2011 fighting game Mortal Kombat, the X-Ray special is a devastating move which one fighter performs on the other, while the view changes to "X-Ray" vision, to show the internal damage the body endures.