Post #3428514

2026-06-27 13:42 UTC

My phone acquired a handful of odd bugs yesterday (unable to use mobile data, 3-button navigation not working, quick settings panel limited to one row) after being present [switched off] in the room where I had a CAT scan. A factory reset got everything back to normal. I suppose it could be a coincidence, but if it wasn’t, I hope all the computing hardware crucial to the scanner itself was better shielded against whatever spillage corrupted the phone's flash storage. Here’s a study on the effects of X-rays on flash memory, mainly in the context of airport security: https://meridian.allenpress.com/ism/article/2016/1/000660/187897/Effects-of-x-ray-exposure-on-NOR-and-NAND-flash

Replies (3)

@gregeganSF@mathstodon.xyz 2026-06-27 22:45

Several commenters have mentioned the MRI helium / iPhone MEMS interaction, which is much more interesting than the CAT X-ray / flash memory corruption that I suffered! tl;dr Recent iPhones use micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) as the resonator in crucial oscillator circuits rather than quartz crystals, and helium can penetrate the packaging of these systems, bond to the surface of the resonators, and modify their behaviour enough to ruin them. https://www.ifixit.com/News/11986/iphones-are-allergic-to-helium

Open ##3436921
@blotosmetek@circumstances.run 2026-06-27 14:10

@gregeganSF@mathstodon.xyz when I had NMR, I had to leave all my things including phone in a different room, in a steel locker.

Open ##3682648
@majer@mathstodon.xyz 2026-06-27 15:30

@gregeganSF@mathstodon.xyz Regarding the hospital iPhone failures caused by helium leaks mentioned in several comments，⬇

Open ##3682660