In 1895, this scientist, Wilhelm Roentgen, a professor of Physics in Worzburg, Bavaria, was the first to find a way to peer inside the body without surgery. On the evening of November 8, he was experimenting with electricity through low-pressure gases using a coil and a glass tube when he accidentally discovered a mysterious ray that was lighting up a fluorescent screen a few feet away. When he passed his hand between the ray and the screen, he glimpsed a shadow of his own bones. More experiments showed that the screen could be replaced by a photographic plate—and the x-ray was born. Roentgen would later earn the first Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery. Mr. Roentgen helped open the door to huge advances in medicine, astronomy, physics and other sciences! Yes, that handsome guy below is Mr. Roentgen. In the early days, people thought x-rays passed through the body as harmlessly as normal light. It wasn’t until Thomas Edison’s assistant Clarence Dally, who had worked extensively with X-rays, died of skin cancer in 1904 that people started taking the health concerns about the new technology seriously. In the late 1800's Roentgen would use the X-ray on his wife's hand (her hand is the first picture). He enjoyed the way people reacted so he actually set up his x-ray machine at birthday parties and passed out little rings to the children and showed them an x-ray of their bones. If he had known what we know today, he never would have exposed children to these dangerous light rays. A woman, Rosalind Franklin was the first scientist to "see" DNA. She used an x-ray technique that allowed her to see the structure of DNA. Unfortunately her studies using x-rays caused her early death due to cancer, and other scientists claimed her Nobel prize. James Watson and Francis Crick knew of her studies and by inappropriate means, (they stole them), saw pictures of her x-rays and were able to reconstruct the structure of DNA. The dangers of X-rays: Because X-rays can penetrate through your skin layers and past your organs making them look like a mere shadow, doctors use x-rays to make a quick diagnosis. There is great danger in "playing" with X-rays. Today scientists are using this form of light to learn marvelous things about the body and the space that surrounds us. Seeing space through "x-ray eyes" has been just plain amazing!
There isn't much of a chance you will harm yourself by x-ray since all x-ray machines are used carefully and with wisdom. Like with all things, treated with respect and knowledge of the dangers, can actually help us to use this light in very useful ways. The science of light (the Electromagnetic Spectrum) is new and exciting!
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |