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In fictional stories, X-ray vision has generally been portrayed as the ability to see through layers of objects at the discretion of the holder of this superpower. People often pretend to have this ability through the use of X-ray glasses, which are a special type of "joke-around" or prank-gag toys with the secret of its "x-ray properties" being unknown. The goal is usually to see through clothing, usually to determine if someone is carrying a concealed weapon, but sometimes for more salacious reasons. In the non-fictional realm, X-rays have many practical uses in the fields of science and medicine. While there are devices currently extant which can "see" through clothing (using terahertz waves), most are quite bulky. However, there are night vision equiped video cameras that can be modified to see through clothing at a frequency just bellow visible light.

The best known figures with "x-ray vision" are the fictional superhero Superman who once had a heat producing function before that power was separated as heat vision, and the protagonist of the 1963 film X (aka X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes).

At least in the first Superman movie, Superman's X-ray vision could see through female character Lois Lane's clothing to see the color of her underwear. This implies it had nothing to do with actual X-rays, since color is a matter of spectral properties at optical frequencies.

In the movie Superman Returns, Superman uses the X-ray vision to see into the interior of Lois Lane's body in order to check for internal injuries.

A Russian girl named Natasha Demkina claims to have the ability to see into people's bodies and diagnose medical conditions. However, a scientific study did not validate her claim, and it is believed that this was more of a case of well-honed intuition.

In Bionicle storyline, a Kanohi mask called Akaku, allows to user the to can view in X-Ray Vision. A more powerful version, the Akaku Nuva, grants X-Ray vision to the user and those around him.

In the video game Metroid Prime, Samus acquires an X-Ray Visor that allows the player to see hidden recesses in walls and enemies that are outside the normal and infrared vision spectrums.

• Video camera sees through clothes