In 1895, Wilhelm Röntgen, a German physicist, made an accidental yet groundbreaking discovery that would revolutionize medical diagnostics: X-rays. While experimenting with cathode rays in his lab, Röntgen noticed a mysterious glow emanating from a nearby chemically coated screen. Intrigued, he further investigated and found that these rays could pass through solid objects, casting shadows of solid structures onto a screen or photographic plate.
Röntgen's first X-ray photograph was of his wife's hand, revealing her bones and wedding ring, a startling image that captured the world's imagination. He named these unknown rays "X-rays" due to their unknown nature. The discovery was sensational, earning him the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901.
X-rays profoundly impacted medical science, allowing doctors to see inside the human body without surgery for the first time. This innovation led to the rapid development of diagnostic radiology, enabling the detection and treatment of various medical conditions and injuries. Today, X-rays remain a fundamental tool in medical imaging, testament to Röntgen's curiosity and scientific rigor.
