Wilhelm Roentgen

Wilhelm Roentgen discovered X-rays in 1895 while experimenting with a cathode ray tube in his laboratory. He named them "X-rays" because their exact nature was unknown at the time. This monumental breakthrough allowed humans to see inside the human body without making a single incision.

Yes, Roentgen was awarded the very first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. He received this prestigious honor specifically for the extraordinary services he rendered by the discovery of X-rays. He chose to donate the prize money to the University of Würzburg, where he conducted his research.

Roentgen believed that his breakthrough should be freely available for the benefit of all humanity, so he refused to seek any patents. He wanted the global medical and scientific communities to utilize X-rays without the hindrance of licensing fees. This selfless decision allowed the technology to spread rapidly across the world.

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, but their wavelengths are much shorter and more energetic than visible light. This shorter wavelength allows X-rays to pass directly through soft tissues while being absorbed by denser materials like bone. Roentgen famously demonstrated this property by capturing an image of the bones in his wife Bertha's hand.