The True Story of a Fake Discovery

Have you heard of n-rays? They were discovered in 1903 by a distinguished scientist named Prosper-Rene Blondlot, while attempting to polarize x-rays. Why are there x-ray machines, x-ray scanners, and x-ray illuminators but not similar n-ray medical equipment and devices? Medical x-ray equipment and illuminators are some of the most important diagnostic tools in hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. N-rays are nowhere to be seen. Why? It's because n-rays are not real and Blondlot's story is a classic tale of experimenter bias in science.

Prosper-Rene Blondlot was not a stereotypical con artist. As a member of the French Academy of Science, Blondlot was familiar with the scientific method and fact checking. During an experiment, Blondlot noticed changes in the brightness of an electric spark in a spark gap placed in an X-ray beam which he photographed and he later attributed to the novel form of radiation-- the n-ray for the University of Nancy. Blondlot and almost 120 other scientist buddies in France published articles about n-rays. The French discovery was celebrated by Academy scientists, who claimed to be able to detect n-rays emanating from most substances, including the human body. For some reason, n-rays were not emitted by green wood and some treated metals.

Scientists in other parts of the world had trouble seeing n-rays as clearly as the French Academy scientists. In fact, they didn't see them at all. This immediately set off an American scientist, Robert Wood's 'Spidey Sense.' He traveled to France to see n-rays in their native environment. After all, maybe there was something uniquely French about them?

Unfortunately for Blondlot, there was something uniquely French about them.

Wood tested the n-ray test by secretly removing an essential prism from the experimental apparatus, yet the experimenters still said that they observed n-rays. He then replaced a large file that was supposed to be giving off n-rays with an inert piece of wood, yet the French scientists still "observed" n-rays. Were the scientists lying? Were they crazy? His report on these investigations, published in Nature, suggested that n-rays were a subjective phenomenon. The scientists involved recorded data that matched their expectations. By 1905 no one believed in n-rays, except the original discoverer.

Later, an interesting theory was proposed. France had been defeated by the Prussians in the Franco-Prussian war 20 years before, and the wounds were still tender between France and the German states. When German scientist Wilhelm Rontgen discovered the x-ray, the scientific community in France was moved by patriotism to discover something just as monumental to soothe the wounded pride of the country. Probably completely unconsciously and without malice, the French scientists created a great discovery of their own-- out of their imaginations.

Medical x-ray equipment, including shields, illuminators, cassettes, signage, film, and more is available at QuickMedical. N-ray equipment will remain unavailable.