On Jan. 5, 1896, an Austrian newspaper (Wiener Presse) reported that German physicist Wilhelm Rontgen had discovered a type of radiation now known as X-rays. Actually discovered by Roentgen in 1895, x-rays, or Roentgen Rays, were an instant spectacle in the medical and scientific communities.

Initially used to examine internal injuries, scientists such as Thomas Edison began investigating new ways to use x-rays. The dark side of x-rays gradually emerged as people developed skin cancer and ‘x-ray disease’ after exposure to the rays. Despite the danger, experimentation with x-rays continued in earnest.