HISTORY.com Last Updated: November 05, 2025
On November 8, 1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845-1923) becomes the first person to observe X-rays, a significant scientific advancement that would ultimately benefit a variety of fields, most of all medicine, by making the invisible visible.
Röntgen's discovery occurred accidentally in his Wurzburg, Germany, lab, where he was testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass when he noticed a glow coming from a nearby chemically coated screen. He dubbed the rays that caused this glow X-rays because of their unknown nature.
X-rays are electromagnetic energy waves that act similarly to light rays, but at wavelengths approximately 1,000 times shorter than those of light. Röntgen holed up in his lab and conducted a series of experiments to better understand his discovery. He learned that X-rays penetrate human flesh but not higher-density substances such as bone or lead and that they can be photographed.
Röntgen's discovery was labeled a medical miracle and X-rays soon became an important diagnostic tool in medicine, allowing doctors to see inside the human body for the first time without surgery. In 1897, X-rays were first used on a military battlefield, during the Balkan War, to find bullets and broken bones inside patients.
Scientists were quick to realize the benefits of X-rays, but slower to comprehend the harmful effects of radiation. Initially, it was believed X-rays passed through flesh as harmlessly as light. However, within several years, researchers began to report cases of burns and skin damage after exposure to X-rays, and in 1904, Thomas Edison’s assistant, Clarence Dally, who had worked extensively with X-rays, died of skin cancer. Dally’s death caused some scientists to begin taking the risks of radiation more seriously, but they still weren’t fully understood.
DID YOU KNOW ABOUT XRAYS AND SHOE STORES?
During the 1930s, 40s and 50s, in fact, many American shoe stores featured shoe-fitting fluoroscopes that used X-rays to enable customers to see the bones in their feet; it wasn’t until the 1950s that this practice was determined to be risky business.
Wilhelm Röntgen received numerous accolades for his work, including the first Nobel Prize in physics in 1901, yet he remained modest and never tried to patent his discovery. Today, X-ray technology is widely used in medicine, material analysis and devices such as airport security scanners.
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MOST COMMON REASONS FOR X-RAYS
According to Image Care Centers, here are some of the most common reasons to take x-rays:
To evaluate symptoms in the body. An x-ray can help doctors look inside the body and may help them evaluate symptoms you’re having. This is especially useful when helping to diagnose illnesses, such as pneumonia or heart problems.
To diagnose injuries. When you have sustained sudden trauma, doctors may use an x-ray to identify injuries, such as broken bones and joint dislocations.
To perform dental checks. Dentists often use x-rays to check the oral health of their patients. X-rays are ideal for finding cavities and tooth decay.
To diagnose cancer. Doctors often use x-rays to diagnose and stage various cancers. They’re also used in mammograms to help detect breast cancer.
To identify joint changes. Specialists often use x-rays to identify arthritis in elderly patients. While a typical x-ray might not work to detect joint changes, special x-rays called arthrograms can identify problems and help doctors treat arthritis.
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