The discovery of all-pervading x-rays belongs to the inquisitive experimenter Wilhelm Roentgen. The applied value of the discovery has enriched medical science with the ability to accurately examine human tissues and organs.
Introduction
Once a year, most people receive detailed information about their health through x-rays. This procedure has long become an everyday part of human life, and no one has ever thought about what exactly X-rays are, and most importantly: who is their discoverer. This man had a difficult and difficult fate: he had to go through a lot before he made his great discovery.
Education and career
The future scientist was born in 1845 in Germany. His father was a manufacturer. The mother was from the Netherlands, where the family later moved. After 15 years, Roentgen entered the Utrecht Technical School. From that moment on, he just developed a passion for technical sciences. However, he did not succeed in completing his studies to the end, since he was expelled due to a loud scandal: he refused to hand over a friend who drew a caricature of one of the teachers.
After that, Roentgen's career turned out to be a big question. He again tried to enter the same school, but already as an auditor - and yet he could not do it. Nevertheless, Wilhelm Roentgen continued his studies at the Zurich Institute. Immediately after graduating from the university, he received his Ph. D. and a mechanical engineer degree, and also became a lecturer at the university. In addition to lecturing, he also did not abandon his practice. Roentgen defended his dissertation, then worked as an assistant, and already at the end of the nineteenth century became the rector of the university in Würzburg.
Creativity and great discovery
Wilhelm would not have achieved profound discoveries, as well as worldwide recognition, if he had not been a real inquisitive scientist. He was interested in the properties of some crystals, conducted research on magnetism. Wilhelm Roentgen has written many scientific papers and works. But there was one discovery that brought him the greatest fame. Because of this scientific discovery, he even had to curtail his research in the future, since there was no end of the industrialists, whoever wanted to conclude a contract with Roentgen.
One autumn evening in 1895, leaving his office, the scientist noticed a dubious dot on the table, which he quickly erased. Subsequently, he remembered this and became very interested in this phenomenon, the source of which were special rays, with which the scientist conducted separate studies. He tried to capture these rays on paper and even on wood, but they only let these objects through without the slightest impact on them. And only with a piece of metal did Roentgen manage to focus these rays. So he, with the help of invented devices, managed to take a picture of his hand.
For most people, this discovery was a breakthrough. In medical practice, it was necessary either to touch or cut a person in order to understand the nature of injuries or the causes of various diseases. And now you can carry out this study without the help of surgery, you just need to direct certain rays to the human body. The discovery caused an incredible stir and at the same time a lot of problems. This is how some personalities appeared who claimed that with the help of the Roentgen machine it was possible to look into a person's soul. Some scammers sold theater binoculars with "x-rays". Of course, this immediately turned out to be a gimmick that was quickly recognized. However, Roentgen had to stop further research on x-rays: there was no end to the merchants. Many rich people from all over the world offered the scientist fabulous sums and all in order to possess his scientific discovery. Despite this, the discovery of Roentgen was a real breakthrough in the field of medicine, physics and mechanics. True, the exact purpose will be found for him only a few decades later.
The personal life of a scientist
In 1872 Roentgen married Anna Ludwig, daughter of the owner of a boarding house at the Zurich Institute. The husband and wife were together until the end of their days, even though they did not have children of their own. The X-ray family managed to adopt an orphan girl. Many years later, the scientist will lose his wife and adopted daughter, because of this he will have big mental problems. Until his death, the scientist will be afraid and hate his loneliness, but he will also hate the strange interest in his person on the part of curious people.
As a matter of fact, complex research affected his health. The result of close interaction with dangerous radiation was cancer, which killed the unfortunate scientist for a long time. However, until his death in 1923, he continued to engage in scientific research and teach. During this difficult period, he showed himself not only as a scientist, but also as a person who is not indifferent to the political future of his country, even as a philanthropist. He donated all his fortune to help the victims of the First World War.
Despite his poor health at the end of his life, this talented man lived an amazing and long life. For this he was obliged, first of all, to his family and friends, who always supported him, believed in him even when the world turned away from him or when they demanded the impossible from him.
