Seldom, if ever, has a basic scientific discovery resulted in over 1000 papers and nearly 50 books within a year of its publication. Such was the case with Röntgen's success in 1896, 100 years ago. Here, the history and background to the discovery are described, together with its consequences, such as radioactivity, the elucidation of crystal structure, and the determination of atomic numbers, as well as the analytical applications of X-rays. The early development of X-ray tubes is described in some detail and the leading personalities are illustrated.
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References
1.
GlasserO.: ‘Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen’, 2nd edn; 1959, Berlin, Göttingen, Heidelberg, Springer Verlag. This biography contains a list of all books and papers published about Röntgen and his discovery, which totalled 86 at that date.
