The following year, German physics professor Wilhelm Rontgen published a report about x-rays.
To this day, the discovery of x-rays is associated with Rontgen, but Tesla was not far behind.
Still, there were no hard feelings between the men.
Left:Martin van Meytes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons / Right: viaRadiographics
In return, Rontgensent him high praisefor his work.
Tesla continued to push himself to learn more about x-rays.
Calling them shadowgraphs, Tesla took them using the easiest model he could findhimself.
X-ray of Tesla’s left hand, c. 1896. (Photo:Nikola Tesla, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
X-ray of Tesla’s left hand, c. 1896.
He quickly pointed out the beneficial uses of x-rays in the medical field.
He was also one of the first scientists to describe the cautionary effects of working with x-rays and radiation.
Nikola Tesla c. 1890. (Photo:Martin van Meytes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
He noted changes to the skin, pain, swelling, and even hair loss.
He incorrectly attributed this to the ozone and nitrous acid generated by the rays rather than the rays themselves.
But this didn’t stop him from trying to enact some early safety measures against these negative effects.
X-ray of Nikola Tesla’s foot, 1896. (Photo: viaRadiographics)
In fact, he even tried making an aluminum shield to give a barrier of protection.
Incredibly, for all of his groundbreaking work, Tesla was plagued byfinancial troubles.
He was 86 years old.
Nikola Tesla was a prolific inventor with over 300 patents.
Nikola Tesla c. 1890.
X-ray of Nikola Tesla’s foot, 1896.
