Short Stories of Science and Invention

A Collection of Radio Talks by

Charles F. Kettering

INDEX

Weekly, from September 1942 to July 1945, Charles F. Kettering gave five-minute intermission talks about Science and Invention during the radio broadcasts of the General Motors Symphony of the Air.

Kettering invented the first automobile self-starter, and for 31 years directed a research laboratory for General Motors.

These radio talks are a fascinating legacy from the mind of a prolific inventor. The obvious anachronisms now add a historical perspective of the war-time period in which they were written.

These web pages now preserve some of the most popular stories for a new generation to read The text and art come from a General Motors booklet of selected talks. (Reprint, March 1959)

34. Ghost Pictures
A Radio Talk by Charles F. Kettering

Fifty years ago an event took place that gave the world an entirely new concept of sight. Everyone knew that ordinary light would go through pane of glass, but when Röntgen announced that he had discovered a way of seeing through opaque materials such as wood, metal and flesh, it was extremely difficult for people to comprehend. The X-ray opened a door to an entirely new world - a world no one had ever dreamed could exist. Here is how it happened.

Rontgen

     In November 1895, Professor W. Röntgen of the physics department at the University of Würsburg was experimenting with the flow of electricity through rarified air. He could detect the presence of free electrons by holding a fluorescent screen near the vacuum tube. On this particular day he had covered the tube with black paper and was studying the screen near the tube when he noticed that some small crystals quite a distance from the table were glowing.

     At first he thought that some stray electrons might be causing this, but he placed the crystals beyond the known range of such effects but they continued to glow.

     At the time Röntgen wrote to a friend, "I have discovered something interesting but I don't know if my observations are correct." But he was convinced that he had uncovered something amazing when he tried some more experiments.

     He placed a book and sheets of metal between the tube and his screen. The new rays easily passed through them. The only metals that stopped the rays were platinum and lead. Because he knew so little about this mysterious light, Röntgen gave it the name X-ray.