Røntgen

Röntgen, Wilhelm Conrad (27 March 1845 – 10 February 1923), was a German physicist who discovered X-rays in 1895. While investigating cathode rays with a Crookes tube, he observed that a fluorescent screen glowed when there was a barrier between the tube and the screen, indicating the existence of a new type of penetrating radiation. He named these rays X-rays, with the X denoting the unknown. He produced radiographs, including an image of his wife’s hand, to demonstrate the ability to reveal bones beneath soft tissue. He published his results in 1895, and the term X-ray quickly became widely adopted.

Röntgen received the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901, in recognition of the extraordinary services he rendered by the discovery of the X-rays. His work sparked rapid development in medical imaging, non-destructive testing in industry, and advances across multiple scientific disciplines. The emergence of X-ray technology also raised concerns about radiation safety, leading to early calls for shielding and limited exposure; Röntgen himself urged prudent use of the new radiation.

In recognition of his contributions, the CGS unit of radiation exposure was named the roentgen (R) after him, a term used for much of the 20th century. He held professorships at several German institutions, including Würzburg and Munich, and spent much of his career studying the properties of radiation. He died in Munich in 1923. Röntgen’s discovery is regarded as the birth of radiology and transformed diagnostics and scientific instrumentation.