While we know about X-Rays for surgery or diagnosing specific issues with our bodies, there’s a lot have ground we haven’t covered. X-Rays do more than tell you about what’s wrong with a bone or a ligament. Here are 5 facts about X-Rays.
It Was an Accident
In 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was doing some lab work and trying to see if cathode rays could pass through glass. Nearby he noticed a glow coming from a chemically-coated screen. He called them “X” rays because he didn’t know their origins.
They Were Originally Thought To Be Completely Safe for Humans
Even though they were already used in World War I to locate bullets in the human body, X-Ray technicians often got the bad end of this exposure. Thomas Edison’s assistant, Clarence Daily, ended up dying from skin cancer in 1904.
X-Rays Travel Quickly
All electromagnetic radiation (X-Rays included) travels at the speed of light in a vacuum to the tune of 186,000 miles per second.
Helped Unlock Secrets to DNA
In the early 1950s, scientists already knew about the double-helix structure. Later, this set the foundation for diagnostic testing, understanding the human body, and helping people get into optimal health.
X-Rays Are the Oldest Medical Technology
The fact that they were found over 100 years ago and remain relevant to this day shows their longevity. Medical professionals still use X-Rays for medical imaging to help track ongoing illness or injury.