Who is credited with the discovery of x-ray?

The discovery of x-rays is attributed to Wilhelm Röntgen, a German physicist, who made this groundbreaking finding in 1895. Röntgen was conducting experiments with cathode rays when he observed a strange glow emanating from a nearby screen coated with barium platinocyanide. He realized that the invisible rays produced could pass through various materials, including human tissue, but not through denser substances like bone. Röntgen's discovery opened the door to a new field of medical imaging, dramatically impacting diagnostics and treatment in medicine.

His meticulous documentation and the subsequent presentation of his findings to the scientific community were critical in establishing the significance of x-rays. The terminology "x-ray" itself acknowledges the unknown nature of the radiation at the time of his discovery, with the "x" denoting an unknown variable. This pioneering work earned Röntgen the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901, solidifying his legacy in the field of medical imaging and physics.