FYI Magazine
Contributions of Hispanic inventors
- Created on Saturday, 24 September 2016 00:40
- Published on Saturday, 24 September 2016 00:40
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Hispanics have contributed enormously to North America and the rest of the world. From cultural influences that include crafts and artistry to delicious cuisine to contributions in science and medicine, Hispanics have made their presence known in all walks of life.
Many Hispanic inventors have worked to make the world a better place, and the following are some of the more notable Hispanic inventors.
- Pedro Flores: If you've ever played with a yo-yo, you have Pedro Flores to thank. Flores was interested in becoming a self-made millionaire and designed a toy based on a game that he played in the Philippines. Between 1928 and 1932, he started and ran the Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara. Flores eventually sold the company to Donald F. Duncan, Sr.
- Luis Miramontes: Miramontes was a chemist from Mexico who is heralded as the co-inventor of one of the first oral contraceptive pills. He was a founding researcher of the Institute of Chemistry of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). His work on norethisterone placed him alongside Carl Djerassi and George Rosenkranz as important names in pill development.
- Father Roberto Landell de Moura: Landell de Moura was a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest and inventor. He publicly demonstrated a radio broadcast of the human voice in 1900 and may have designed technology that was the precursor to modern mobile phones. Landell de Moura traveled to the United States in 1901 and secured patents for a wave transmitter, wireless telephone and wireless telegraph.
- Carlos Finlay: Finlay of Cuba became famous for his work in identifying mosquitoes as carriers of deadly yellow fever. Of his more than 100 scientific articles for medical journals and conferences, 70 were about yellow fever, which was an epidemic in Cuba in the 19th century. His work led to mosquito control programs introduced throughout Cuba.
- Guillermo Camarena: Born in Guadalajara, Camarena was fascinated with electrically propelled toys and other devices at a young age. Camarena invented the "chromoscopic adapter for television equipment," which was an early form of color television transmission. The invention was designed to easily adapt to black-and-white TV equipment.
- Victor Ochoa: This inventor of Mexican descent patented the electric brake in 1907. Ochoa used magnetic attraction to make it easier for trains to slow down on tracks. Ochoa also went on to invent the folding-wing airplane.
- Narcis Monturiol i Estarriol: A Spanish intellectual, engineer and artist, Estarriol is credited with inventing the first air-independent and combustion-engine-driven submarine. His invention came after observing the dangerous job of coral harvesters during a stay in Cadaques. He subsequently decided to focus his energies on improving submarine navigation.
