Continuing the celebration of National Radiologic Technology … would you believe?
Did you know that Wilhelm Roentgen was awarded the first Nobel Prize for Physics in 1901? His discovery of X-rays made him a celebrity, and he had many honors bestowed upon him: to include streets named after him, countless honorary doctorates and prizes, and even the title of German nobility (which he rejected). With all this, would you believe that Roentgen died penniless? He refused to patent his discovery because he believed his work should be available to everyone.
Wilhelm Roentgen discovered x-rays quite by accident on Nov. 8, 1895. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a piece of cardboard coated with barium platinocyanide glowing when he was working with electricity in a vacuum tube in front of him. He called the mysterious rays x-rays because x stands for the unknown! At the time of Roentgen’s discovery of x-ray, there were several others who were also experimenting with a vacuum tube. Roentgen had an advantage due to a condition that made him extraordinarily sensitive to faint light. He was better able to see the faint glow that was being emitted because he was colorblind!
