Busting wide open: Mythbusters and CT scans

Looking back, I have always had an interest in science and technology. In school, Design & Technology was one of my favourite subjects and it was one that I was able to do well in (if I bothered to put in the effort). But going further back than that, maybe my father's chemical engineering degree diffused through osmosis into my mindset, creating this scientific interest. 

Maybe not: I was never any good at chemistry. But I do believe that a deep, technical curiosity is somewhat intrinsic to human nature, and it can certainly be cultivated with the right exposure. Besides the influences of working on projects with my dad in his workshop, another great influence on me as a child was the legendary TV show Mythbusters. There weren't many other programmes that were as entertaining and informative (Brainiac is one of the few other examples I can think of).

The scientific approach to hypotheses, which were often quite ludicrous, really showed that not only is the world an interesting place, but the wildest questions can be scientifically answered. Real, calculable data can provide proof to situations that would otherwise only have their place in fiction. Perhaps it also had its influence on me as a writer of fiction: after all, many of the myths came from movies. But why am I talking about a TV show on a blog about industrial metrology? 

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andreas Bastian and Jon Bruner, co-founder/head of product and head of marketing respectively for industrial CT specialist Lumafield. The interview came after I wrote this article about Lumafield's successful B series funding. I used the interview to write a feature article for my colleagues at TCT magazine, which will be released next month. During my research for the interview, I found out that Lumafield had been visited by Adam Savage for his YouTube series, Tested. Anyone who knows Mythbusters will know that Adam Savage was one of the main co-hosts, and therefore naturally a childhood hero of mine. 

Adam had sent multiple objects from his workshop to Lumafield, which they put through their Neptune CT scanner, allowing him to have a look inside. Even for objects he had built himself, this provided a deep insight, showing details you would otherwise never be able to see. I highly recommend the episode, which you can watch here: 

What's specifically interesting about it is the material characteristics of different objects. Not only is it possible to see which parts of a mechanical calculator are hardened steel, highlighted against the lower density metal of other components, but for a plastic model that Adam built himself, all of a sudden this great level of detail was revealed that even the builder didn't know was there.

CT scanning is such an interesting field because it allows us to see this hidden, unnatural perspective inside things that we would otherwise never be able to see. Much like Mythbusters, it facilitates the formation of concrete answers to otherwise fantastical questions. Therefore, it piques my interest and satisfies that intrinsic scientific curiosity. It fits perfectly with Lumafield's slogan: look within.