Stories about scientists find X-rays and radiation

Pham Tiep

Luck happened on the evening of November 8, 1895, after leaving the laboratory for a while, remembering to forget to break the high-voltage circuit breaker that led into the cathode ray tube, Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen (1845-1923) returned to the room and notice a green light trail on the table, though the room is dark.

With the sharp, experienced mind of a physicist, this appealed to him and 49 days later he stayed in the laboratory continuously, having a meal provided by his wife, every day he just stopped working studying for a few minutes to eat, clean and nap for a few hours. Thus, he discovered the nature of the secret ray he temporarily named X-ray and gave him the first Nobel Prize in physics in 1901.

Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen (1845-1923)
(Photo: Calstatela.edu)

Similarly, Pierre Curie (1859-1906) and his wife, Marie Curie (1867-1934), at the suggestion of Henri Becquerel (1852-1908) on finding out which strange substances play an important role in radiation substances. , conducted a research project (Marie Curie's doctoral thesis): "Nature and characteristics of radiation" (Becquerel rays). And when a new radioactive substance was found: radi, but when presented at the Paris Academy of Sciences, commented: "You said you found a new element. Please show it to us. At that time, we believed you were right. " Accepting that challenge, the Curies had to work both mentally and physically (carrying, unloading radi sacks).

With a very small percentage of radium in ore: 1 / 100,000, Mr. and Mrs. Curie after 48 months of hard work, can get 0.1 g radium, this amount is sufficient to express radioactivity of radium, a million times stronger than uranium and determine its raw mass: 225, enough to convince suspicious people.

Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Curie and Becquerel (who discovered radiation) have been rewarded: Nobel Prize in physics. The shared bonuses helped Mr. and Mrs. Curie reduce the difficulties that are in need after years of self-sufficient research.

No need for money, money

After the scientist Roentgen captured his wife's hand with X-rays, it was clear how each bone was burned and the wedding ring on her finger. This photo was presented at the conference of the heavily attended Wurtzbourg City Physical Society (Germany) to demonstrate the ability of X-rays to penetrate through the human body, advancing acted on November 23, 1896.

At that wonderful achievement, the president proposed to call the X-ray ray Roentgen and call 1896 the year of Roentgen rays.

But throughout his life Roentgen still called those rays X-rays and had the following anecdote:

A fellow physicist with his name, Lena, before those glory sought to fight with him and suggested that the name be named Roentgen Lena. He replied calmly: "X-rays are called by someone's name, I don't care. I have never called those rays with my name. I hope you talk to those who call you that."

Someone from the German Navy Bureau came to him and said: ready to spend a large amount of money and provide all necessary facilities if he agreed to put X-rays into use in the submarine and asked him to register proving to be exclusive to this beam, not for foreign use.

The scientist Roentgen captured his wife's hand with X-rays, when he saw the picture clearly saw every bone and wedding ring on her finger.(Photo: uab.edu)

He firmly refused to participate in military service and registration. He wanted X-rays to be used in human health care, which belonged to the whole of humanity, and was also used as a means of war service never in his intentions. The invention of X-rays has provided a source of income for many companies to take advantage of, but the Roentgen husband and wife still live in poverty and often have the support of relatives and friends, this is due to their sense of meaning and intention. Chi resolutely opposed the war.

Perhaps, like the X-ray invention, after discovering radi, it was exploited by traders to get rich by selling products containing radium from drinking water, bracelets, and savon. , milk, cereals, animal feed with advertisements: nutritious, rheumatism, bactericidal . In that competition, many people went to Mr. and Mrs. Curie and advised them to register for invention. exclusive to be able to get rich because 1g radi at that time cost 75,000 francs. But like Roentgen, Mr. and Mrs. Curie gave up their invention rights to facilitate the promising young radioactive industry.

The consolation for Mr. and Mrs. Curie is the scientific career of the two who have continued to be performed by their daughter Irène Julio Curie and her son-in-law, Frederich Julio Curie. The couple discovered artificial radioactive materials and won the Nobel Prize in 1935.

Sacrificing for radiation

As of 1936, the year in Germany built a monument to commemorate the scientists who died because of X-rays and radiation, the number was 110 (!). The first to be considered: Antoine Henri Becquerel (Germany), who discovered radiation, through the suggestion of the famous mathematician Henri Poincaré.

During a class session at the Paris University of Science, he put in his jacket pocket a bottle of radium packed carefully in a small paper box, to illustrate the lecture. Who doubted, 10 days later on the chest, where the pocket of radi vial, appeared a small red stain and it continued to spread and stopped only when it was just the right size with the vial of radi. It happened in April 1901. Unaware of the red stain, he continued to study, but gradually he felt tired, depressed, pain increased, cracked skin to create large ulcers. And in 1908, at the age of 56, he passed away after years of fatigue, exhaustion and pain.

The next one is Pierre Curie (France), who contributes to understanding the nature of radiation. Seeing Becquerel being burned by radi, would you like to test it on me? He used to tie his arm for 10 hours with a radioactive preparation and put a piece of radi in half an hour into his pocket and as Becquerel, in his arms and thighs, had a burn a few days later. Unfortunately, he died early because of a car accident, but fortunately, he did not suffer from the whole body's radiation damage.

The third was Marie Curie (French of Polish origin) who successfully defended the doctoral thesis on the nature and characteristics of radiation. Due to the research work, she often had to be exposed to radioactive substances, but at that time there were no preventive measures because of the limited knowledge of radiation. She used to put a bag of radium in her bag and sleep in the night at the bedside to see the glowing glow from the bag.

At age 65, her health declined markedly, and at the age of 66 she was bedridden, and at the end of the year she died (!).