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Scorpio 25: An X ray

An x-ray i s a high-energy form of electromagnetic radiat ion having a

wavelength in the range of 0 .01 to 10 nanometers and energy levels in

t h e r a ng e o f 1 2 0 e V t o 1 2 0 ke V. 1 

In many languages, X-radiation is

called Röntgen radiation, after Wilhelm

Conrad Röntgen, who is generally

credited as its discoverer, and who had

named it X-radiation to signify an

unknown type of radiation.2 

Th e p s e u d o -p r e f i x x- would

s e e m , t h e n , t o be r e l a t e d t o La t i n

p r e f i x ex-  which means “outside,

out of , away from.” 3 That pref ix

d e s c e nd s f r o m t h e I nd o -E u r o p e a n

(IE) root   eghs- which means “out” and from which also desce nd the

words exoteric , exotic , external , exterior ,  extreme, a nd strange. 4 

The words r adi at e  (to send our rays or waves; To extend in straight  

l i ne s f r o m o r t o w a r d a c e nt e r ) a nd ray (beam of l ight) are both related

t o radius  which descends from the Lat in radius  (staf f , spoke of a wheel ,

beam of l ight) . The or igin of this word is unknown but i t has been

suggested that i t related to radix   which means “root .” 5 

The word r adi x  d e s c e nd s f r o m t h e I E r o o t   wrad-  which means “branch,

root” and from which also descend root , wort , radical , radical , radish,

radix , eradicate, deracinate, ramify   and l icorice.  

THEMES:   Two rather obvious themes or related ideas are present  

above. The f irst is that of an ex - r adi cal  , someone who formerly

advocated “fundamental or REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES i n c u r r e nt  

1 http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/x-ray2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray

3 http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/ex-

4 Watkins, C. (2000), The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo European Roots, p. 22

5 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=radius

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practices , condit ions, or inst i tutions.” 6 A s e c o nd i d e a i s s i m p l y t h e x t h  

radical or root of a number (n) , as shown in the f igure below.  

6 http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/radical