18 January - Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen first demonstrated the X-ray machine

 

On 18 January 1896, the German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen first demonstrated the X-ray machine. This discovery was accidental but groundbreaking. While experimenting with cathode-ray tubes, Roentgen noticed that a screen in his laboratory started to fluoresce even when it was placed at a distance from the tube. Further investigation revealed that a new type of invisible ray was responsible for this effect.

Roentgen termed these rays "X-rays," as their nature was not yet understood. His discovery had profound implications for medical diagnostics and became a revolutionary tool in the field of medicine. The ability of X-rays to penetrate soft tissues while being absorbed by denser materials allowed physicians to visualize the internal structures of the human body, leading to advancements in medical imaging and diagnosis.

Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen's work earned him the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901, recognizing the significance of his discovery and its potential applications in various scientific and medical fields.