Matthews, Jermey N. A. "Airport Checkpoint Technologies Take Off." Physics Today 63.7 (2010): 27-29.

Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 July 2014

Jermey Matthews of Physics Today said in an article that the US government is raising its efforts to
upgrade its airport screening technologies. US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has
expedited the modernization of its security scanners. Matthews said that TSA is allocating millions for
its modernization of security scanners. Among the technologies are on trace -explosives detection
systems, liquid -explosive scanners and full body scanners to which may have detected the explosives
that are placed on the suspect's underwear on a December bombing attempt. The price of the full body
scanners are $160,000 each, placed at 31 US airports and plans to install a lot more over time . The
author said that full body scanners has different types of system employed. Some of which are the
backscattered x-ray radiation and the scattered millimeter waves. Both system takes 10 seconds to test
the person. Both system has disadvantage and advantages of it's own. Critics of the system raises the
privacy concern of the public. Such solution were done by integrating software that would blur the
person's face. Concern also arise about health issues concerning full body scanners could cause cancer.
Malesh Mahadevappa , who works at John Hopkins Hospital as a Chief physicist said that "A person
would have to go through 1000 to 2500 times to a body scanner to get the same radiation effect as a
normal chest x-ray. Liquid explosives scanners will be more efficient in determining if the liquid content
of the container is a possible threat or not. This is a welcome news to TSA as it can asses the situation in
regards to the transport of liquids, gel etc. through security checkpoints. The US government is swift to
response to new threats.

The article's purpose is to inform the public that TSA is serious about in the advancement of scanning
technology on United States airports. Some people may like it some may not. Some may criticize that it's
just a waste of money because the system is not consistent. Some may criticize about invasion of privacy
and some about health issues. I personally welcome the advancement in technology but a good system
must be in place at the same time. It has to work together otherwise this endeavor would fail and it will
be such a waste of money. The technology should be present at all US airports otherwise this will be
one of those loopholes where bad guys would exploit. For me airline security should be evolving and
continue to find new threats.

This article helped me realize that advancement in airline security technology is expanding. This issue
will be a good connection to my issue exploration paper. I will try to find an article about normal people
riding an airplane.