Wilhelm Röntgen
1845–1923 · German · Victorian Era
Known for: Discovered X-rays and won the first Nobel Prize in Physics
Wilhelm Rontgen discovered X-rays in 1895 and immediately X-rayed his wife's hand, producing the most famous medical image in history. He won the first-ever Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901.
He refused to patent X-rays, believing medical discoveries should benefit all humanity. He donated his Nobel money to his university.
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