November 8 is an important anniversary in the history of science, technology, and medicine. On this day in 1895 a German scientist named Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays in his lab (by experimenting with the help of his wife) in Wurzburg. A true scientist, Wilhelm Röntgen dubbed the energy waves he discovered x-rays because the letter x stands for the unknown, and at first, he didn’t realize they were actually the same as rays of light.

X-rays are tiny energy waves, about 1,000 times shorter than light waves, so your eyes cannot see them. They have two properties that make them especially useful in medicine, however. First, although human eyes cannot see x-rays, humans can photograph them. Second, x-rays do not penetrate some materials, including bone. This makes them ideal for looking at the human body and diagnosing the severity of injuries, the health of your teeth, and so forth. According to History dot com, the first use of x-rays in battlefield medicine took place in 1897, so this is one time that the benefits of a new technology became immediately obvious.

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Is Wilhelm Röntgen Famous for His Discovery?

There is potential danger with x-rays, however. They involve radiation, which is harmful at certain levels, and x-rays can cause burns and skin damage at high levels of exposure. You’re probably safe when you go to your doctor’s office, however.

Wilhelm Röntgen’s story has an interesting ending. He earned a Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1901 but did not try to patent it. It appears he was a quiet man who built much of his experimental equipment himself and rarely worked with assistants. But he contributed something important that helped people live better lives, so hats off to Wilhelm Röntgen.

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