OK, so, maybe the fact that, under vacuum, Scotch tape will emit enough hard x-rays to image the bones in your finger is slightly more impressive, but this is still a pretty cool trick from YouTuber TheFarmacyMan. My off-the-cuff explanation: Glass is frosted because of tiny imperfections in the surface, which refract passing light a’whichaways. The tape adhesive fills ’em in and, because its outer surface is flat, the rays can pass through more or less straight again. Frosting on both sides of the glass would presumably require tape on both sides for the effect to work. [via Boing Boing]
10 thoughts on “Scotch Tape Renders Frosted Glass Clear”
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Same thing happens with water. If you’ve ever hand washed a frosted glass container, while it’s wet it gets clear, then as the water runs off goes back to translucent.
Peeping Toms everywhere are rejoicing.
Not as impressive as using it as a holographic storage medium. Now that was impressive.
It’s not really a privacy risk since it only works on the frosted side (which is usually on the inside). It also works (just not quite as well) with dry erase markers, as seen here:
http://caj.s3.amazonaws.com/3d.jpg
Also works on old scratched up film for scanning. Also ruins the film.