Intentional or accidental—if it works, it works!
Over the years, humankind has constantly taken steps towards evolution, especially in the field of science, to improve our lives. Therefore, credit must be given to the best of human minds, comprising researchers and scientists who have made brilliant discoveries century after century.
However, at times, some significant discoveries have been purely accidental, including the discovery of X-rays.
In 1885, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was busy experimenting on a cathode ray in his Wurzburg-based laboratory in Germany.
The scientist also realised that when cathode tube rays are exposed to high electrical discharge, they produce light capable of passing through different types of materials.
To explore the limitations of the light, he tried to block the light with his hands. However, he saw the light passing through his hands, projecting the shadow of his bones on a nearby screen.
Röntgen replaced the screen with a photogenic plate, and there you have it: the discovery of X-rays.
