Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Small and Wide Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Biological Macromolecules in Solution
12:53

Small and Wide Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Biological Macromolecules in Solution

Published on: January 8, 2013

The high energy X-ray universe.

Riccardo Giacconi1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. giacconi@pha.jhu.edu

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|April 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary

X-ray astronomy has advanced significantly since the 1960s, achieving a ten-billion-fold increase in sensitivity. This field explores revolutionary discoveries, current achievements, and future prospects in X-ray observatories.

More Related Videos

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene08:44

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene

Published on: August 22, 2017

Applying X-ray Imaging Crystal Spectroscopy for Use as a High Temperature Plasma Diagnostic06:46

Applying X-ray Imaging Crystal Spectroscopy for Use as a High Temperature Plasma Diagnostic

Published on: August 25, 2016

Related Concept Videos

X-ray Imaging01:24

X-ray Imaging

German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845–1923) was experimenting with electrical current when he discovered that a mysterious and invisible "ray" would pass through his flesh but leave an outline of his bones on a screen coated with a metal compound. In 1895, Röntgen made the first durable record of the internal parts of a living human: an "X-ray" image (as it came to be called) of his wife’s hand. Scientists worldwide quickly began their own experiments with X-rays, and by 1900, X-ray was widely...
The Electromagnetic Spectrum02:37

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum consists of all the types of electromagnetic radiation arranged according to their frequency and wavelength. Each of the various colors of visible light has specific frequencies and wavelengths associated with them, and you can see that visible light makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because the technologies developed to work in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are different, for reasons of convenience and historical...
The Electromagnetic Spectrum01:24

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic waves are categorized according to their wavelengths and frequencies, giving the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves are classified as radio, infrared, ultraviolet, etc. Radio waves refer to electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from millimeters to kilometers. Radio waves are commonly used for audio communications (i.e., radios) and typically result from an alternating current in the wires of a broadcast antenna. They cover a broad wavelength range and are used...
Energy Carried By Electromagnetic Waves01:22

Energy Carried By Electromagnetic Waves

Anyone who has used a microwave oven knows there is energy in electromagnetic waves. Sometimes, this energy is obvious, such as in the summer sun's warmth. At other times, it is subtle, such as the unfelt energy of gamma rays, which can destroy living cells. Electromagnetic waves bring energy into a system through their electric and magnetic fields. These fields can exert forces and move charges in the system and, thus, do work on them. However, there is energy in an electromagnetic wave,...
Types of Radioactivity03:23

Types of Radioactivity

The most common types of radioactivity are α decay, β decay, γ decay, neutron emission, and electron capture.
Alpha (α) decay is the emission of an α particle from the nucleus. For example, polonium-210 undergoes α decay:
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview01:20

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview

Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a sample by analyzing the light emitted from excited atoms. In AES, atoms in a sample are excited to higher energy levels by thermal energy from high-temperature sources, such as plasma, arcs, or sparks. When these excited atoms return to lower energy states, they emit light at specific wavelengths characteristic of each element. The resulting atomic emission spectrum, which consists of...