By 
Jessica Oreck
 | 
TED-Ed Original

Mysteries of vernacular: X-ray

The story of the word X-Ray is one of great thinkers. French philosopher Rene Descartes isolated the letters X Y and Z to stand for unknowns and centuries later Wilhelm Röntgen discovered the X-ray using the X for the unknown nature of the radiation. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel shed some light on the etymology of this modern marvel.

Related tags:

TED is supported by ads and partners

Watch next