Dr. Wilhelm Röntgen

"I did not think, I experimented"

This week's quote is by the first-ever Nobel Prize laureate - Dr. Wilhelm Röntgen

Wilhelm won the first Nobel Prize ever, in physics, in 1901, for discovering X-rays, which indicated the beginning of modern physics and revolutionised diagnostic medicine. 

Although he has studied and published papers on a lot of topics like the thermal conductivity of crystals, the influence of pressure on the refractive indices of various fluids, the phenomena accompanying the spreading of oil drops on water, and many more; his fame is chiefly associated with the discovery of X-rays. 

In 1895, he begin to investigate the external effects that different vacuum discharge tubes produce when electricity passes through them. He connected different types of tubes like the Lenard tube and a Hittorf-Crookes tube to a Ruhmkorff coil, to see the varied effects. He was also studying the ability of different materials to block the rays and noted that objects of different thicknesses appear with different transparency on a photographic plate. He kept experimenting with this after that.

One of his first X-rays was when during one of his experiments, he placed his wife's hand over a photographic plate, intercepting the rays. He then developed the plate in a manner that his wife's hand was depicted as shadows thrown by her hones and the ring she was wearing. Further experimenting on this, Wilhelm discovered that the new rays are produced when cathode rays impact a material object. At that time, he called these X-rays as their origin and nature were unknown. 

He did not patent his discovery as he wanted it to be openly available to the public, without charge. 

At DDSN we share Wilhelm's passion for continuously experimenting to create value for our clients. Whilst we wouldn't say we don't think (we spend many hours debating best practices and thinking about security and business implications actually) Our drive to contribute to the digital transformation and reap rewards in this for our clients sees us experiment with our technology every day and come up with more interesting and easy-to-use digital solutions for businesses.

At DDSN we become your digital partner so that you can focus on growing your business and leave all the techy parts to us. 

Today's Quote

Who was Dr. Wilhelm Röntgen?

Dr. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was a German mechanical engineer and physicist who produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays or Röntgen rays, an achievement that earned him the first Nobel Prize. 

In honor of his accomplishments, in 2004 the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry named element 111, roentgenium, a radioactive element with multiple unstable isotopes, after him.

Röntgen donated the 50,000 Swedish krona reward from his Nobel Prize to research at his university, the University of Würzburg. 

At DDSN we are passionate about experimenting and creating innovative customised digital solutions for your business as your digital partner!