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Basics of Ionizing Radiation

History of Radiation Research: Biographies of Great Scientists

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (Germany, 1845–1923)
While conducting an experiment in which a high voltage was applied inside an evacuated glass tube, Röntgen noticed that a nearby fluorescent screen was glowing blue, indicating the generation of an unknown, invisible ray.
He named this ray “X-rays,” meaning “something yet to be discovered.” This marked the beginning of subsequent research into ionizing radiation.
He was awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 for the discovery of X-rays.

Antoine Henri Becquerel (France, 1852–1908)
While exploring fluorescent materials, Becquerel was the first to confirm that uranium can naturally emit ionizing radiation (radioactivity), which is a unique property not found in other substances.
For his discovery of radioactivity, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903.
The unit of radioactivity, “Becquerel (Bq),” which is defined as the number of radioactive nuclei that decay per second, was named after him.

Pierre Curie (France, 1859–1906) and Marie Curie (France, 1867–1934)
Using the electrometer invented by Pierre Curie, Pierre and Marie Curie discovered two new elements—polonium and radium—while studying uranium ore. Polonium and radium emit stronger ionizing radiation than uranium.
The couple was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 for their discovery.

Charles Thomson Rees Wilson (United Kingdom , 1869–1959)

When Wilson was young, he was interested in clouds. While conducting experiments to artificially generate clouds, he developed a device that allowed him to see the trail of radiation, which he named the “cloud chamber.”
The cloud chamber was subsequently used in various research studies and was particularly useful in studying cosmic rays, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1927.

Rolf Maximilian Sievert (Sweden, 1896–1966)
As radiation use became widespread and its effects on the human body started to pose problems, Sievert explored for equipment that measure radiation and devices that prevent radiation hazards to address these issues.
He developed mobile vehicles equipped with radiation-measuring devices. Furthermore, he established the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), which plays a leading role in the field of radiation protection, and served as its chairman.
The unit “Sievert,” which expresses the effects of radiation on the human body, is named after him.