Can We Really Scan Every Container for Terrorist Threats?

Is it feasible to scan every one of the 15 million containers that enter U.S. ports each year? With a new technology, the long-term answer might well be yes. Decision Sciences International Corp. has developed the Multi-Mode Passive Detection System, a new means of scanning containers at the port for radiological, nuclear and explosive materials, as well as contraband. The technology differs from previous such efforts in that it doesn't bombard containers or nearby people with x-rays or other types of potentially hazardous radiation. On this episode, Decision Sciences president and chief executive officer Stanton Sloane explains how the device works, how far along it is in development, how much it costs and how it would mesh with modern-day port operations. The system, he claims, solves the health, safety, logistical and political problems that, according to critics, make the notion of 100-percent scanning of containers at foreign ports impossible.