As part of its centenary celebrations the Science Museum's curators chose ten objects from its collection and asked the public to vote on their favourite.

From a list which included a Pilot ACE Computer, based on Alan Turing's work, the Apollo 10 Capsule, a Model T Ford, penicillin and the DNA double helix the public chose the X-ray machine as its favourite.

Said medical device, invented in 1895, inexplicably beat off competition from Stephenson's Rocket, the electric telegraph, the steam engine and the Nazis' V2 rocket engine.

50,000 votes were cast online and at the museum in South Kensington.

Penicillin came in second with 6,825 votes, the double helix DNA came third and the Apollo 10 space capsule took fourth place.

The Science Museum has more here. ®

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