List of Jamaican inventions and discoveries explained

Jamaican inventions and discoveries are items, processes, ideas, techniques or discoveries which owe their existence either partially or entirely to a person born in Jamaica, or to a citizen of Jamaica or to a person born abroad of Jamaican heritage.

Animal breeding

• Jamaica Hope, Jamaica Red and Jamaica Black, by Thomas Lecky.^[1]

Astronomy and astrophysics

Mercedes Richards was the first to:

• make images of the gravitational flow of gas between the stars in any interacting binary.
• image the chromospheres and accretion disks in Algol binaries.
• apply the technique of tomography, in astronomy.
• make theoretical hydrodynamic simulations of the Algol binary stars.
• discover starspots on the cool star in an Algol binary.
• apply novel distance correlation statistical methods to large astronomical databases.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Chemistry

• The "armed-disarmed" principle in glycosylation chemistry, by Bertram Fraser-Reid.^[5]
• Construction of the largest ever synthetic hetero-oligosaccharide without the use of automated methods, by Bertram Fraser-Reid.^[6]
• Isolation of dibenzyl trisulphide (DTS) from the guinea hen weed and identification of anti-proliferation and/or cytotoxic activity on a wide range of cancer cell lines, by Williams and Levy.^{[7] [8]}
• Identification of DTS derivatives (e.g. DTS-albumin complexes) for providing anti-proliferation and/or cytotoxic activity on a wide range of cancer cell lines, by Williams and Levy.
• Development of methods of isolating and/or providing DTS and/or its derivatives in an effective amount for providing an anti-proliferation and/or cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines, by Williams and Levy.
• Isolation of chemical compounds from the ball moss plant and identification of anti-cancer activity, by Henry Lowe.^[9]
• Isolation of eryngial from eryngium foetidum and Identification as an anti-threadworm agent by Reese, Robinson and Forbes.^{[10] [11]}

Computing

• Lingo programming language used in Adobe Director, invented by John Henry Thompson.^[12]
• Methods and apparatus for managing mobile content, co-invented by John Henry Thompson.^{[13] [14]}
• Walt W. Braithwaite led the development of CAD/CAM systems at Boeing, enabling airplanes to be designed and manufactured digitally. He also made a significant contribution to the development of the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES). Braithwaite's common data format and translators from Boeing were used as the basis for developing the IGES protocol.^{[15] [16]}
• IBM Master Inventor, Tyrone W A Grandison, holds over 47 patents. He has co-invented product initiatives in RFID data management, privacy-preserving mobile data management, private social network analysis, text analytics and healthcare management systems.^{[17] [18] [19]}

Cuisine

• Chocolate Milk^{[20] [21]}
• Tia Maria
• Hummingbird cake
• Irish Moss
• Jerk
• Busta candy
• Coconut drop
• Toto
• Peanut drops
• Coconut cake
• Almond drops

Fashion

• Kariba suit, by Ivy Ralph
• Ursula Andress white bikini, co-designed by Tessa Prendergast

Games

• Nubian Jak, invented by Jak Beula Dodd
• Automated Double-Dutch jump rope machine, by Tahira Reid Smith^[22]
• Kivi (2016), co-designed by Sheyla Bonnick^[23]
• Eye Catch (2017), co-designed by Sheyla Bonnick
• Sneak Peek (2018), co-designed by Sheyla Bonnick^[24]
• Kalooki
• Popongo, invented by Errol Anderson^{[25] [26]}

Health and medicine

• Monamycin antibiotic, co-discovered by Kenneth E. Magnus.^{[27] [28] [29]}
• Kwashiorkor, discovered by Cicely Williams. She was the first to recognize and conduct research on kwashiorkor and differentiate it from other dietary deficiencies. Williams also developed a treatment regime to combat the disease.^[30]
• Pioneering treatments for paediatric sickle cell anaemia, by Yvette Francis-McBarnette. She was the first to use prophylactic antibiotics in the treatment of children with sickle cell.^{[31] [32]}
• Canasol, developed by Manley West and Albert Lockhart. Canasol reduces the fluid pressure within the eye that is present in late-stage glaucoma.^[33]
• Asmasol, a treatment for bronchial asthma, coughs and colds, by West and Lockhart.
• The JaipurKnee, co-designed by Joel Sadler. Time listed the Jaipur Knee as one of the best inventions of 2009.^[34] The JaipurKnee has since been exported to many countries.^{[35] [36]}
• The (Ramphal) Cardiac Surgery Simulator, by Dr Paul Ramphal and Dr Daniel Coore.^{[37] [38]} The model is used in the training of many cardiothoracic surgery residents in the United States.^[39]
• Alpha Prostate, a supplement used in the management of prostate health, by Henry Lowe.

Ideology, religion and ethics

• Rastafari
• Garveyism
• Kumina
  • Myal Stuart Hall was one of the founding figures of the school of thought that is now known as British Cultural Studies or the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies.
• The League of Coloured Peoples (LCP), founded by Harold Moody.

Industrial processes

• Barley Abrasion Process, invented by Sir Geoff Palmer. A patented technique that speeds up the production of malt from grain and which is used by the British brewing industry.^[40]
• Sir Geoff Palmer was also the first person to utilise the scanning electron microscope to study malt production in detail.^[41]
• Development of a commercial process to extract quassinoids from bitterwood, by Yee and Jacobs.^{[42] [43]}
• Invention of a process for extracting valuable mineral by-products from bauxite, by Lightbourne and Barclay Baetz.^{[44] [45]}

Mathematics

• The creation of a "sophisticated" mathematical cost capability trade-off model for HMS Queen Elizabeth, by Nira Chamberlain.^{[46] [47] [48]}
• Invention of a method of long multiplication, used in some UK schools, by Nira Chamberlain.^{[49] [50]}

Music

• Reggae
• Rocksteady
• Ska
• Mento
  • Dub Dancehall
• Ragga
• Reggae fusion
• Hip-hop/rap music. Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc is known as the "Founder of Hip-hop" and "Father of Hip-hop".^{[51] [52]}
• Modern remixing of sounds.

Plants, crops and botany

• Ortanique, created by David Daniel Phillips.^{[53] [54]}
• Discovery of a new variety of Zingiberaceae, by Errol McGhie.^{[55] [56]}
• A transgenic papaya - Paula Tennant manipulated the genetic make-up of the local papaya and produced a new bioengineered variety resistant to the papaya ringspot Virus (PRSV).^[57]
• Discovery of a new species of Pisoniae.^[58]

Space exploration

• Invention of a system and method for portable nondestructive examination with realtime three-dimensional tomography. Robert Rashford co-created the world's first portable 3D non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system. The NDE system detects flaws in materials used to construct aircraft, spacecraft and industrial pipelines without having to take these materials apart. The system was used in the maintenance of the United States Government's Hubble Space Telescope.^[59]
• Protective enclosure for use transporting orbital replacement units (orus) within a space craft, invented by Robert Rashford.^[60]
• Single-person spacecraft, co-invented by Robert Rashford.^[61]
• Enclosure for spaceflight hardware, co-invented by Robert Rashford.^[62]
• Robert Rashford also designed and developed unique spacecraft support systems for the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Airborne Support Equipment (UASE) at the Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). At General Electric, he designed and tested a variety of spacecraft for both commercial and military applications. At Bechtel Corporation, he designed a nuclear reactor support structure. He has designed numerous highly complex engineering systems that successfully flew on board NASA's Manned Space Flight Programs.^{[63] [64]}

Transport

• Radial tyres, Jamaican-born Arthur William Savage is often cited as the inventor.^[65]
• Invention relating to an improved process for making inner tubes for vehicle tires, by Arthur William Savage.

Weaponry

• Invention of the Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle, by Jamaican-born Arthur William Savage.
• Invention of the first completely modern removable box magazine, by Arthur William Savage.

Miscellaneous

• Discovery of previously unknown historical human migration patterns, by Neil Hanchard and team.
• Identification of more than 3 million genetic variants that had not been previously observed, which could contribute to making genetic tests more accurate for people with African ancestry, Neil Hanchard and team.
• Invention of a connector system, by Glen McFarlane.^{[66] [67] [68]}
• Invention of the Compact Design H2 Energy Storage and Generation system.^[69]
• Patented magnetic gearbox system.^[70]
• Contributed to the development of a new type of polyhexahydrotriazine (PHT).^{[71] [72]}
• Published the first comprehensive human microbiome study, by Karen Nelson and team.^{[73] [74]}
• Identified the link between adipose tissue glucose transporter (GLUT4) and insulin resistance, by Evan Dale Abel and Barbara Kahn.^[75]
• Invention (of the first) sorrel harvesting machine that facilitates the mechanical stripping of the red calyces flesh from the sorrel plant.^{[76] [77]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2017. Thomas Lecky. 13 October 2021. Icons. en-US.
2. Web site: 11 July 2013. Mercedes Richards Receives Musgrave Gold Medal — Eberly College of Science. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130711175135/http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2008-news/Richards11-2008.htm. 11 July 2013. 11 October 2021.
3. Chromospheric Activity in Algol Binaries. . en.
4. Web site: Centre Daily Times. 10 February 2016. Clipping from Centre Daily Times. 11 October 2021. Newspapers.com. en.
5. Web site: Bertram Fraser-Reid Obituary (2020) The Herald Sun. 22 October 2021. Legacy.com.
6. Web site: Boman. Stu. 8 November 2006. Chemical & Engineering News: Latest News - Largest Synthetic Hetero-Oligosaccharide. 22 October 2021. pubsapp.acs.org.
7. Web site: 20 July 2017 . Utech professor gets patent for anti-cancer drug from Guinea hen weed . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170723004246/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/utech_professor_gets_patent_for_anti-cancer_drug_from_guinea_hen_weed . 23 July 2017 . 8 May 2022 . Jamaica Observer.
8. Web site: Southey. Flora. 21 September 2017. US patent for Jamaican anti-cancer weed. 12 October 2021. outsourcing-pharma.com. en-GB.
9. Web site: HENDRICKS . SHARLENE . 20 September 2018 . New prostate cancer development . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181001092350/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/new-prostate-cancer-development-lowe-says-research-has-found-treatment-molecule-in-cannabis-jamaican-ball-moss_145401 . 1 October 2018 . 8 May 2022 . Jamaica Observer.
10. Web site: 2 May 2003. UWI Scientists receive Letters Patent as inventors of Medicaments for the treatment of threadworms . 12 October 2021. www.mona.uwi.edu.
11. Web site: YARNELL. AMANDA. 7 June 2004. Home Field Advantage. 12 October 2021. cen.acs.org.
12. Web site: 2019. John Henry Thompson: Computer Programming and Software Inventions. 12 November 2021. Famous Black Inventors. en-US.
13. Web site: 2022 . John Henry Thompson Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search . 2 December 2022 . patents.justia.com.
14. Web site: US08700804 Methods and apparatus for managing mobile content . 2 December 2022 . patentscope.wipo.int.
15. Web site: Schuchart. 22 February 2021. Celebrating Black History Month with A/E/C Heroes. 19 October 2021. Schuchart. en-US.
16. Web site: Career Communications Group . Walt W. Braithwaite - 1995 Black Engineer of the Year . 2 December 2022 . issuu . en.
17. Web site: 2022 . Tyrone Grandison Bio . 24 November 2022 . generalassemb.ly.
18. Web site: 2 August 2015 . Jamaican appointed deputy data chief in US Department of Commerce . 24 November 2022 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
19. Web site: Tyrone W. A. Grandison Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search . 24 November 2022 . patents.justia.com.
20. Web site: Chocolate Milk Was Invented in Jamaica. Rose. Eveleth. Rose Eveleth . 12 January 2017.
21. Web site: About Sir Hans Sloane – Natural History Museum. 12 January 2017.
22. Web site: Smith . Monica . 18 February 2021 . Game Changers Inventor Spotlight: Tahira Reid Smith . 23 September 2022 . Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation . en.
23. Web site: Saari . Mikko . 19 August 2016 . Kivi -noppapelin arvostelu ＞ Lautapeliopas . 5 April 2022 . Lautapeliopas . fi.
24. Web site: Sheyla Bonnick Board Game Designer BoardGameGeek. 16 October 2021. boardgamegeek.com. en-US.
25. Web site: 22 January 2021 . Popongo: The Newest Game Taking The World By Storm . 2 December 2022 . Ultra5280 . en-US.
26. Web site: 7 June 2022 . Broncos announce partnership with Popongo, a locally produced indoor/outdoor game . 2 December 2022 . www.denverbroncos.com . en-US.
27. Web site: Professor Kenneth Magnus Mona Library. 9 October 2021. www.mona.uwi.edu.
28. Web site: 11 November 2015. It happened this week in politics - 1959. 9 October 2021. jamaica-gleaner.com. en.
29. Web site: Government of Canada . Patent 651718 Summary . 18 September 2022 . www.ic.gc.ca . en.
30. Web site: Reeves. Sue. 2016. Cicely Williams and kwashiorkor - Hektoen International. 9 October 2021. hekint.org.
31. Web site: Collins. Sonya. 23 April 2016. Breaking barriers in medicine and race. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182259/http://yalemedicine.yale.edu/spring2011/people/alumni/109125/. 23 April 2016. 21 October 2021.
32. News: Roberts. Sam. 7 April 2016. Yvette Fay Francis-McBarnette, a Pioneer in Treating Sickle Cell Anemia, Dies at 89. The New York Times . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160409183230/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/08/nyregion/yvette-fay-francis-mcbarnette-a-pioneer-in-treating-sickle-cell-anemia-dies-at-89.html. 9 April 2016. 21 October 2021.
33. Web site: Manley Elisha West (1929 – 2012). 3 November 2021. The National Library of Jamaica. en-US.
34. 2009. The 50 Best Inventions of 2009 - TIME. en-US. Time. 14 October 2021.
35. Web site: Philip . Hamilton . 1 February 2010 . 'Magic knee'- Poor nations to benefit from Jamaican prosthetic invention . 10 October 2021 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
36. Web site: Sebastian. Sunny. 31 August 2011. Jaipur Foot travels to Jaffna again. 10 October 2021. mea.gov.in.
37. Web site: DOUGLAS. LUKE. 27 February 2012. UWI scores big with heart surgery simulator. 10 October 2021. Jamaica Observer.
38. Web site: 4 November 2013 . UWI Mona's Cardiac Simulator goes into commercial production . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120228211612/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/uwi-scores-big-with-heart-surgery-simulator_10883828 . 28 February 2012 . 10 October 2021 . www.mona.uwi.edu.
39. Web site: Cardiothoracic Surgery Simulators (includes videos). 10 October 2021. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. en-US.
40. Web site: 31 December 2013. First black university professor knighted. 9 October 2021. HeraldScotland. en.
41. Web site: Tim. 5 October 2017. UK brewing is in good hands Sir Geoff Palmer – The Brewers Journal. 9 October 2021. en-US.
42. Web site: 28 June 2009. Bitterwood - an untapped treasure. 20 October 2021. old.jamaica-gleaner.com.
43. Web site: US Patent for Simplified process to extract quassinoids. 20 October 2021. patents.justia.com.
44. Web site: 26 January 2013 . 'New' bauxite process invented here . 24 September 2022 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
45. Web site: US3690828 ORE EXTRACTION . 24 September 2022 . patentscope.wipo.int.
46. Web site: Hignett . Katherine . 20 October 2022 . The top groundbreaking discoveries by Black scientists from the last 100 years . 2 December 2022 . Metro . en.
47. Web site: Dr Nira Chamberlain - Mathematics, University of York . 3 March 2022 . www.york.ac.uk.
48. Web site: 2022 . Nira Chamberlain London Mathematical Society . 2 March 2022 . www.lms.ac.uk.
49. Web site: 2022 . Professor Nira Chamberlain, Loughborough University . 11 March 2022 . www.lboro.ac.uk . en.
50. Web site: 2022 . Dr Nira Chamberlain OBE . 11 March 2022 . Speakers for Schools . en-GB.
51. Web site: 2021. Hip hop is born at a birthday party in the Bronx. 14 October 2021. HISTORY. en.
52. Web site: Miss2Bees. 26 February 2020. DJ Kool Herc Wants Jamaica to Reclaim Hip-Hop. 14 October 2021. The Source. en-US.
53. Web site: Staff Writer. 2018. On this day in Jamaican History: The Ortanique Fruit. 14 October 2021. Jamaicans.com. en-US.
54. Web site: 2021. Ortanique Prips Jamaica. 14 October 2021. pripsjamaica.com. en.
55. Web site: Nationwide Newsnet. 14 April 2017. Jamaican Inventor Secures Potentially Game Changing Patents. 13 October 2021. Nationwide 90FM. en-US.
56. PP26408. Ginger plant named ‘McghieJCG’. US. plant patent. 2016-02-09. Zon International Holdings US Inc.. McGhie. Errol Anthony.
57. Web site: Department of Life Sciences. 22 October 2021. www.mona.uwi.edu.
58. Web site: Marcos Caraballo-Ortiz, Keron Campbell, and Sashalee Cross.. 8 September 2021. A new species of Pisonia birdcatcher tree discovered in the island of Jamaica. 7 November 2021. The Plant Press.
59. Web site: 8 August 2019 . Prof Lalor's Order of Merit well deserved . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210903212839/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/prof-lalor-s-order-of-merit-well-deserved_171785?profile=146 . 3 September 2021 . 10 October 2021 . Jamaica Observer.
60. Web site: 20 September 2002. US Patent for Protective enclosure for use transporting orbital replacement units (orus) within a space craft Patent. 10 October 2021. patents.justia.com.
61. Web site: 21 February 2019 . US Patent for Single-person spacecraft Patent (Patent # 11,286,064 issued March 29, 2022) - Justia Patents Search . 18 September 2022 . patents.justia.com.
62. Web site: US Patent for Enclosure for spaceflight hardware Patent (Patent # 11,472,603 issued October 18, 2022) - Justia Patents Search . 21 November 2022 . patents.justia.com.
63. Web site: Robert Rashford Biography Webb Telescope/NASA. 10 October 2021. www.jwst.nasa.gov. en.
64. Web site: 2017. Robert Rashford. 10 October 2021. Icons. en-US.
65. Web site: Anthony. Chris. 9 June 2020. Reinventing the wheel: A brief history of tyres. 6 November 2021. What Tyre Independent tyre comparison. en.
66. Web site: Murphy . Judana . 15 August 2022 . How freakish fate turned jobless Jamaican into global pioneering inventor . 21 November 2022 . jamaica-gleaner.com . en.
67. Web site: CN1254450 Connector system . 21 November 2022 . patentscope.wipo.int.
68. Web site: Government of Canada . Innovation . Canadian Patent Database / Base de données sur les brevets canadiens . 21 November 2022 . www.ic.gc.ca . en.
69. Web site: Staff. 2017-05-27. Jamaican Inventor Harlo Mayne Creates Water-Powered Car. 2021-10-14. I AM A JAMAICAN. en-US.
70. Web site: Stabroek News. 6 April 2020. Jamaicans invent magnetic gearbox system, eyeing NASA project. 14 October 2021. Stabroek News. en-US.
71. Web site: DAVIDSON . VERNON . 12 December 2016 . Jamaican scientist creates history . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161214022804/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Jamaican--scientist-creates-history_83404 . 14 December 2016 . 14 October 2021 . Jamaica Observer.
72. Web site: 2016. Global Thinkers 2016. 14 October 2021. 2016globalthinkers.foreignpolicy.com.
73. Web site: 28 April 2016. Dr. Karen E. Nelson: Intersecting Science and Humanity to Boost Global Health. 23 February 2022. Community College of Philadelphia. en.
74. Web site: Stories. Tri-State Defender Technology. 29 April 2016. Dr. Karen E. Nelson – a game-changing scientist breaking barriers. 23 February 2022. TSDMemphis.com. en-US.
75. Web site: Biography E. Dale Abel Laboratory . 8 May 2022 . abel.lab.uiowa.edu.
76. Web site: Staff . 22 January 2016 . Couple Invents Sorrel Harvesting Machine, Receives National Award . 14 October 2021 . I AM A JAMAICAN . en-US.
77. Web site: 24 January 2014 . US Patent for Sorrel harvesting machine . 14 October 2021 . patents.justia.com.