The most important Spanish inventions

Although today it seems that Spain has not contributed anything to the rest of the world, we must know that it was not like that, in fact, many gadgets that we use today come from Spanish minds. In this lesson of a TEACHER we will make a list with the most important Spanish inventions, selecting those that have revolutionized or have been the precursors of objects or means of transport that we use commonly today.

Index

1. Inventions of the healthcare sector
2. Spanish inventions for everyday use
3. Inventions of the engineering sector
4. Spanish inventions of the leisure and entertainment sector
5. Other curious inventions of the Spanish

We will begin to talk about the most important Spanish inventions in the healthcare field. They basically boil down to these two:

The disposable syringe

Although the hypodermic syringe existed since 1853, it was not until well into the 20th century that Manuel Jalón, in his quest to improve health, created this object, which greatly benefited the health of the moment, greatly reducing the cases of infections in the patients.

The wheelchair

It is not uncommon to see in engravings or tables prior to the birth of Jesus Christ, representations in which sick people are transported on cots or chairs carried by other people, however, the first wheelchair was created in Spain in 1595, in order to transfer Felipe II, a Spanish monarch who suffered from gout.

Now we will talk about the inventions that were created for daily use and that have made our day to day much easier:

The stapler

This object so widely used throughout the world, was conceived in the 18th century in the Basque Country, it was commissioned by the King Louis XVII of France, who needed a way to keep the papers of the administration in a neat. Although it would not be until the twentieth century when this invention took on great relevance.

Mop

Until 1958, we have to know that the way to clean homes around the world was quite uncomfortable, in fact, the entire floor had to be scrubbed on knees, It would not be until that year, when Manuel Jalón (the creator of the disposable syringe), contributed to Spanish society, another of his inventions, the mop. It is known that in a short time it was already known throughout the world, greatly helping to improve the quality of life of people, we should know that by 1989, this patent had reached 60 million sales worldwide.

The digital calculator

In 1914, Torres Quevedo created the first digital calculator, based on the invention made by Blaise Pascal, who created the first calculator, unlike that it worked through a series of gears.

Image: Slideshare

Within the engineering and large constructions sector, the Spanish inventions that stand out the most are the following:

The cable car

In 1907, the inventor Leonardo Torres Quevedo, created a means of transport for the aristocracy of Donostia, through which they could reach the top of Mount Ulía, being the first cable car in the world. Years later, in 1913, this same inventor carried out the same action in the United States, creating a cable car in Niagara Falls.

The autogyro

In 1920, Juan de la Cierva, built the first prototype, which will be known as the forerunner of the current helicopters modern, it was widely used, because unlike the aircraft of the time, this allowed landing and take-off in a much more efficient.

The submarine

Isaac Peral in 1888 created the first submarine in history, which was clearly made for military purposes, it was powered by electrical energy.

The world of leisure and fun has also been improved with Spanish inventions such as the following:

The Spanish guitar

Between the 13th-18th centuries, the vihuelas, the stringed instrument from which the six-string guitar comes, was modified.

The futbolin

How many games will they have played with such a game? Well, this appeared in 1937 by the hand of Alejandro Campos Ramírez. One of the characteristics that it has is that most of them do not have arms, because it created the game for children who during the war had lost their limbs and had been eliminated from playing soccer.

And to finish we will discover other inventions that have also been created in Spain and that are still used today:

The Molotov cocktail

Although the name does not come from here, this invention appeared in the world during the beginning of the civil war, in 1936, the Republicans had a great shortage of weapons, so they had to invent a way to have explosives quickly and simple. The name was given by the Finns who between 1940-1941 fought against the Russian army, and it was a way of making fun of the USSR's foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov.

The cigarette

When the tobacco factories appeared in the 16th century, the most important being that of Seville, the workers of this, began to use the embers of the tobacco, which were gathered and then wrapped in rice paper, to be smoked. This came, because cigars or cigars were destined for the upper class of society, becoming popular among the lower classes and the soldiers, this new device.

The knife

At the end of the 16th century, Carlos I of Spain created a law by which long blades (especially swords) could not be carried by those who were not from the nobility or the army. In this way, the razor appeared among the popular classes, an object that allowed the blade to be hidden from all eyes.

The lollipop

In 1957, Enric Bernat created the first lollipop. Candy had become fashionable, but when it came to talking, having to removing it from your mouth and smearing your fingers was a very frowned upon element, as was eating with your mouth open. In this way, when introducing a stick, that gesture was much more hygienic.

Hot chocolate

Finally, within the most important Spanish inventions, we will say goodbye with a good taste in the mouth, who does not delight in a good cup of hot chocolate? From the 16th century, chocolate arrived in Spain, which was consumed by indigenous tribes in different ways (being smoked, ingested with jalapeños or chili peppers, or drunk), whatever it was, the tribes consumed it in their own way bitter. The Spanish, decided to heat it and add sugar cane to avoid bitterness, appearing the famous hot chocolate, which in a few years was popularized throughout the country and in other cuts European.

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