Among the best known figures with "x-ray vision" are the fictional Superman, and the protagonist of the 1963 filmX. The first person with X-ray vision in a comic book was Olga Mesmer in 1937's Spicy Mysteries. She is often considered to be one of the first superheroes. In myth, Lynceus of the Argonauts possessed a similar ability. Although called X-ray vision, this power has little to do with the actual effect of X-rays. Instead, it is usually presented as the ability to selectively see through certain objects as though they are invisible or translucent 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 criminals beyond, or see through Lois Lane's dress to determine the color of her underwear. 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. As depicted, x-ray vision is actually more of a form of the supposed psychic ability of remote viewing.
In reality
have many practical uses for scientific and medical imaging. Security agencies are experimenting with applications of imaging devices which can "see" through clothing. Such devices are being deployed in some airports as a way of detecting contraband, such as guns, knives, and any other weapons in particular which may be carried beneath a person's clothing, bag, etc. 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. In comic books in the latter half of the 20th century, there often appeared an advertisement for "X-ray specs" 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. While X-rays cannot be used in practice to enable seeing objects through walls, researchers have recently shown how everyday wireless signals, such as Wi-Fi, can be used to achieve x-ray vision.
