One hundred years ago in November 1895, when Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen di
scovered X-rays, a new scientific age began which has dominated our ow
n century. Rontgen himself was one of the late 19th century physicists
involved in the exciting investigations opening up at that time into
the possibilities which electrical applications were creating. To unde
rstand the significance of Rontgen's discovery, it is helpful to look
at the years preceding his discovery and the context within which his
work took place.