
Source: WikipediaĪs mentioned above, X-rays are electromagnetic energy waves that act similarly to light rays, but at wavelengths approximately 1,000 times shorter than those of light. The X-ray was considered a “miracle of medicine" Taking Early X-rays. His curiosity would eventually lead to the foundation needed to create a modern X-ray. Yet another X-ray option is a panoramic X-ray, which captures a 360° view of the entire skull. This unknown nature is what sparked the name “X-ray” and after his accidental discovery, Rontgen was eager to understand what made these screens glow. Outside of a comprehensive examination, periapical images are used if you are suffering from acute pain that has yet to be diagnosed, or in cases where prior surgery or other dental work needs to be re-evaluated for success or failure. While experimenting with these chemically coated screens, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen noticed an odd and unknown reaction to the screens a glow radiating from the area when coming in contact with the rays. X-ray Facts: Many objects in space emit X-rays, including black holes, neutron stars, the sun, some comets, supernova remnants, and binary star systems. These rays are the basis for a lot of modern technologies including one of the West’s favorite past-times, watching television. Occurring during testing in a lab in Wurzburg, Germany, Rontgen was testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass when he noticed a glow coming from a nearby chemically coated screen.Ĭathode rays are beams of electrons emitted from the cathode of a high-vacuum tube. In short, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen discovered a way to make the invisible visible. Because hard X-rays have higher energy and, therefore, higher penetrative ability, they are used in medical radiography and airport security. X-ray Facts: X-rays can be divided into hard X-rays and soft X-rays. If anything this invention, as mentioned above, has impacted you in some way. On November 8, 1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen made an accidental discovery that would change the course of history ultimately benefiting a variety of fields that range from the aerospace industry to the world of medicine. An Accidental History Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen.Source: Wikipedia
