Saved on this device

Follow your curiosity

What discovery has been shared with you?

FACTREE gives you something interesting to discover every day — and something worth talking about together.

Start with one fact. Explore it, go deeper, then follow whichever branch catches your imagination.

Choose subjects for a surprise

Exploring any topic

Begin your discovery

Your next discovery is one click away.

Choose one or more subjects above, or leave Any Topic selected and let curiosity decide.

Physics

Terahertz Spectroscopy for Non-Destructive Material Characterization

Quick fact

Terahertz radiation can penetrate many non-metallic materials like paper, plastic, and textiles, yet is non-ionizing, making it a safer alternative to X-rays for inspecting valuable or sensitive objects.

Why this is interesting

You likely know that X-rays can see inside objects, but did you know that invisible 'terahertz' waves can also see through materials without damaging them—and even tell you what they're made of? How can a wave that can't pass through a coffee cup reveal hidden tablets inside?