The store will not work correctly when cookies are disabled.
Skip to Content
+1-800-821-2870
Language
usa-flag store-flag
  • Global Website
  • UK Website
  • EU Website
  • French Website
  • German Website
Toggle Nav
Contact Us
Get a Quote
Account
Basket
Basket
You have no items in your basket.
OR
Generate Quote
Menu
My Quote
My Quote
You have no items in your quote cart.
Proceed to Quote
  • Materials
    • Alloys
    • Biopolymers
    • Ceramics
    • Chemical Compounds
    • Composites
    • Compounds
    • Gemstones
    • Glasses
    • Intermetallics
    • Metals
    • Nanomaterials
    • Polymers
    • Polymer Composites
    • Precious Metals
    • Rare Earth Metals
  • Forms
    • All Foils
    • Films
    • Sheets
    • Balls & Beads
    • Bars, Rods & Tubes
    • Coils
    • Crucibles
    • Disks
    • Fasteners
    • Fibres & Fabrics
    • Filament
    • Foams, Gauzes & Honeycombs
    • Foils, Sheets, Films
    • Laminates
    • Metallized Films
    • Powders & Granules
    • Single Crystals
    • Sputtering Target
    • Thin Films & Coated Thin Films
    • Pellets & Flakes
    • Wires
  • Services
    • Services

      Technical Solutions Analytical Services Bespoke Commercial Services Custom Ceramic Components Custom Metal Alloy Powders Microfabrication Polymer Film Transformation
      Custom Polymer Components Custom Single Crystals Custom Wire Manufacturing Cutting Services Machining Services Materials Customization Rolling and Metal Foil Production

      Applications

      Additive Manufacturing Catalytic Materials Fuel Cells Glass Manufacturing Green Technology
      Lithium Ion Batteries Microscopy Sensors Thin Film Technology
  • Sectors
    • Academia

      Academia

      Supporting cutting edge research and development with advanced materials to your needs.

      Aerospace & Aeronautical

      High performance materials for extreme conditions.

      Automotive

      Innovative and lightweight materials with high mechanical properties and durability.

      Chemical Manufacturing

      Materials used in chemical engineering from consumables to innovative solutions.

      Electronics and Bioelectronics

      Advanced materials characterized by high electrical or insulation performance.

      Fuel Cells & Hydrogen

      High quality materials for renewable energy.

      Life Science and Biomaterials

      Biocompatible and biodegradable materials to the highest standards.

      Medical Devices

      High purity, biocompatible materials for high performance devices and applications.

      Mining and Metals

      High purity metals and alloys in various forms and crucibles suitable to your needs.

      Nanomaterials

      State of the art materials for the next generation of technologies.

      Nuclear

      High performance materials for extreme conditions.

      Oil & Gas

      Durable materials for corrosive environments.

      Optics

      Foils, disks or windows across a range of materials to facilitate your innovation.

      Packaging

      Polymers, metal foils, and sustainable materials for your packaging needs.

      Research & Labs

      Your requirements for unique products and attributes will be met across our 170,000+ product range and customization capabilities.

      Space Technology

      High-quality materials across branded products in various forms including rods, wires, and foils support space technology needs.

      Storage & Batteries

      Highest quality materials to support your need for small-quantity specialist materials such as graphite and lithium compounds.

      Vacuum Technology

      High purity materials to improve the reproducibility and reliability of your evaporation processes.

      Academia Aerospace & Aeronautical Automotive Chemical Manufacturing Electronics and Bioelectronics Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Life Science and Biomaterials Storage & Batteries Vacuum Technology Mining and Metals Nanomaterials Nuclear Oil & Gas Optics Packaging Research & Labs Space Technology Medical Devices
  • Resources
    • News

      Find out our latest news.

      Blog

      Read our latest insights, and opinions.

      Podcasts

      Discover our Innovation Discovered podcasts on innovation, products, interesting topics, and more.

      Case Studies

      Find out how we've worked with our partners

      Events & Webinars

      Our latest updates on what we are doing, find out more.

      Careers

      Find out more about us and the great roles we have available for talented individuals. Find out more.

      Goodfellow Distributors

      Take a look at our global distributors.

      FAQ's

      Explore our FAQ resource to help answer your key questions.

      Glossary of Scientific Terms

      Gain a clearer picture of the language used in scientific study

      News & Information Blog Case Studies Events & Webinars Podcasts
      Goodfellow Distributors Glossary of Scientific Terms FAQ's Careers
  • About Us
    • About Our Group About Goodfellow About Potomac About Suisse Technology Partners About Bureau of Analysed Samples (BAS)
Menu
Back
  • Materials
    • Alloys
    • Biopolymers
    • Ceramics
    • Chemical Compounds
    • Composites
    • Compounds
    • Gemstones
    • Glasses
    • Intermetallics
    • Metals
    • Nanomaterials
    • Polymers
    • Polymer Composites
    • Precious Metals
    • Rare Earth Metals
  • Forms
    • All Foils
      • High-Purity Metal Foils, Disks & Coils
    • Films
    • Sheets
    • Balls & Beads
    • Bars, Rods & Tubes
    • Coils
    • Crucibles
    • Disks
    • Fasteners
    • Fibres & Fabrics
    • Filament
    • Foams, Gauzes & Honeycombs
    • Foils, Sheets, Films
    • Foils (Light Tight)
    • Laminates
    • Metallized Films
    • Powders & Granules
    • Single Crystals
    • Sputtering Target
    • Thin Films & Coated Thin Films
    • Pellets & Flakes
    • Wires
  • Contact Us
  • Get A Quote
  • Services
    • Technical Solutions
    • Analytical Services
    • Bespoke Commercial Services
    • Custom Ceramic Components
    • Custom Metal Alloy Powders
    • Microfabrication
    • Polymer Film Transformation
    • Custom Polymer Components
    • Custom Single Crystals
    • Custom Wire Manufacturing
    • Cutting Services
    • Machining Services
    • Materials Customization
    • Rolling and Metal Foil Production
  • Applications
    • Additive Manufacturing
    • Catalytic Materials
    • Fuel Cells
    • Glass Manufacturing
    • Green Technology
    • Lithium Ion Batteries
    • Microscopy
    • Sensors
    • Thin Film Technology
  • Sectors
    • Academia
    • Aerospace & Aeronautical
    • Automotive
    • Chemical Manufacturing
    • Electronics and Bioelectronics
    • Fuel Cells & Hydrogen
    • Life Science and Biomaterials
    • Storage & Batteries
    • Vacuum Technology
    • Mining and Metals
    • Nanomaterials
    • Nuclear
    • Oil & Gas
    • Optics
    • Packaging
    • Research & Labs
    • Space Technology
    • Medical Devices
  • Resources
    • News & Information
    • Blog
    • Case Studies
    • Events & Webinars
    • Careers
    • Goodfellow Distributors
    • FAQ's
    • Glossary of Scientific Terms
    • Podcasts
  • About
    • About Our Group
    • About Goodfellow
    • About Potomac
    • About Suisse Technology Partners
    • About Bureau of Analysed Samples (BAS)
Language
usa-flag store-flag
  • Global Website
  • UK Website
  • EU Website
  • French Website
  • German Website
Account

Free shipping included

Customized Materials

99% stock availability

No minimum order

Free shipping included

Customized Materials

99% stock availability

No minimum order

Free shipping included

Customized Materials

99% stock availability

  • Home
  • Resources
  • The Discovery of X-Ray Technology

The Discovery of X-Ray Technology

Search the blog

    Categories

    • Blog (110)
    • Events (2)
    • News (33)
    • Podcasts (57)
    • Case Studies (6)
    My Wish List
    Last Added Items
    You have no items in your wish list.
    X-ray
    July 19, 2021
    The Discovery of X-Ray Technology

    Welcome to Throwback Thursday! Today we’re going to be looking at a technology, which today, we rarely lend a second thought to. This technology was discovered accidentally, but without it, our lives would be much more complicated. This week our throwback star is X-ray, so let’s find out more… 

    The discovery of X-rays
    Professor of Physics Wilhelm Röntgen in Wurzburg, Bavaria, discovered X-rays in 1895 whilst testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass. The cathode tube used during his experiments was covered in heavy black paper, so it came as a surprise that incandescent green light escaped and projected onto a fluorescent screen nearby. 

    When exploring the mysterious light further, Röntgen found that it could pass through most surfaces, but it would leave the shadows of solid objects. He called these rays “X-rays”, with the “X” meaning “unknown”, as he didn’t know what they were!

    Röntgen continued his experiments and quickly found that X-rays could pass through human skin and tissue, making bones and organs visible. For the first time, the invisible human body could be seen without being cut open. News of the discovery spread across the world and within a year, doctors in Europe and the USA were using X-rays. 

    In the early days of X-ray use, there was little regard for the side effects of radiation exposure. Scientists such as Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, had early suspicions after reporting injuries sustained from experiments with X-rays. Edison’s assistant, Clarence Dally, even died of skin cancer after working extensively with X-rays. His death caused the scientific community to take the risks more seriously, although they still weren’t fully understood.

    What exactly are X-rays?
    X-rays are electromagnetic energy waves that behave similarly to light rays, except at wavelengths around 1,000 times shorter than those of light. Contrary to what was understood at the time, X-rays, unlike light, could not pass-through flesh harmlessly. During the 1930s, 40s and 50s, many American shoe shops featured fluoroscopes that used X-rays to enable customers to see the bones in their feet. It was only by the 1950s that this practice was determined as risky! 

    Röntgen received a lot of praise for his work, including the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. He never attempted to patent his discovery, which allowed X-ray technology to be widely developed and used in medicine, material analysis and even in airport security. 

    If you have any questions or need information on our catalog range, please get in touch with the Goodfellow team today and see how we can help you.

    Science Edition
    by Goodfellow
    Posted in: Blog
    Did you like this post?
    1
    Previous article: Platinum Mesh
    Next article: Properties & Applications of Zinc (Zn)
    Related posts
    Green Production Range: Cellulose Acetate Film
    Green Production Range: Cellulose Acetate Film
    September 20, 2021
    The History of Nanotechnology
    The History of Nanotechnology
    September 13, 2021
    The Discovery of Penicillin
    The Discovery of Penicillin
    August 23, 2021
    Vanadium
    Properties & Applications of Vanadium (V)
    October 25, 2021
    Vitreous Carbon
    Vitreous Carbon
    October 18, 2021
    What is Silicon when it’s not in the valley?
    What is Silicon when it’s not in the valley?
    September 27, 2021
    Green Production Range: Cellulose Acetate Film
    Green Production Range: Cellulose Acetate Film
    September 20, 2021
    The History of Nanotechnology
    The History of Nanotechnology
    September 13, 2021
    The Discovery of Penicillin
    The Discovery of Penicillin
    August 23, 2021
    Vanadium
    Properties & Applications of Vanadium (V)
    October 25, 2021
    Vitreous Carbon
    Vitreous Carbon
    October 18, 2021
    What is Silicon when it’s not in the valley?
    What is Silicon when it’s not in the valley?
    September 27, 2021
    Green Production Range: Cellulose Acetate Film
    Green Production Range: Cellulose Acetate Film
    September 20, 2021
    The History of Nanotechnology
    The History of Nanotechnology
    September 13, 2021
    The Discovery of Penicillin
    The Discovery of Penicillin
    August 23, 2021
    Customer Login
    New Customers

    Creating an account has many benefits: Creating an account has many benefits: check out faster, keep more than one address, track orders and more.

    New Customers
    Registered Customers

    Please log into your account to place an order

    Forgot Your Password?
    Get a Quote for

    Sign up for Goodfellow communications

    Newsletter
    By submitting this form, I understand Goodfellow will process my personal information in accordance with their Privacy notice. Additionally, I understand I may withdraw my consent or update my preferences at any time.
    Goodfellow Cambridge Ltd
    Our Services
    Technical Solutions
    Analytical Services
    Bespoke Commercial Services
    Customizations & Development
    Machining Services
    Microfabrication
    Resources
    Blog
    Events & Webinars
    FAQ's
    Goodfellow Distributors
    News
    Podcasts
    Glossary of Scientific Terms
    Volume Discounts
    Legal
    Modern Slavery Policy
    Ordering & Returns
    Privacy Policy
    Quality & Compliance
    Terms & Conditions
    Company
    About Us
    About Potomac Photonics
    Careers
    Contact Us
    maestro mastercard verifiedbyvisa visa worldpay american-express discover
    100% Secure Shopping. Protected by 2048 bit SSL encryption
    stripe
    © 2024 Goodfellow Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Registered in USA.

    Sitemap | Cookie Policy

    Follow us

    Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube