20 Inventions Invented in Texas
As is revealed in discussions on the same over at runrex.com, Texas is the birthplace of thousands of brilliant innovations, and while some are well known, others are not so. To help with that, this article will look to highlight 20 inventions that were invented in Texas.
Silicone breast implants
One of the most well-known facts about Texas and its role in American invention, as discussed over at guttulus.com, is that it where silicone breast implants originated from. Silicone breast implants were created by two plastic surgeons from Houston, Texas in 1962, with the first implant operation also being performed in Houston.
Liquid Paper
Also known as whiteout, Liquid Paper was invented by Bette Clair Graham, who was at the time working as a secretary at the Texas Bank in Dallas as covered over at runrex.com. Graham, who was also an artist, adapted a technique that artists use to correct mistakes made by early electric typewriters.
The integrated circuit
As is outlined in discussions on the same over at guttulus.com, in 1958, Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments created the first integrated circuit, which eventually led to the invention of the microchip allowing for computers and cell phones to evolve into what they are now.
3D printing
Another famous Texas invention is 3D printing. In 1988, at the University of Texas, Carl Deckard brought a patent for Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology, which is a method of the 3D invention that he invented and developed.
The Pacemaker
Otis Frank Boykin, who developed more than 25 inventions, is mostly known for the invention of a control unit of the artificial cardiac pacemaker, which helped the pacemaker achieve its goal of maintaining a regular heartbeat in patients.
The Hughes Drill Bit
After the Spindletop discovery kickstarted the Texas oil boom, a solution to tap the vast reserves of oil was required, at which point up stepped Howard Hughes Jr. whose Hughes Tool Company in Houston improved upon a drill bit invented by his father, leading to an invention which became known as the “invention that found most of the oil in Texas” as per discussions in the same over at runrex.com.
Silicon transistors
Although Gordon Teal wasn’t around when the first transistors were invented, he did come up with a way to grow pure enough silicon to make silicon transistors possible. As per the gurus over at guttulus.com, silicon transistors can withstand way more heat and conduct more energy than their germanium-made predecessors making this one of the most significant inventions of its time.
Forward-Looking Infrared Systems
While this technology, which converts thermal radiation into an image that can be displayed on a screen, was initially developed for the military by Texas Instruments, it has since been used in several different applications from detecting leaks in HVAC systems to piloting aircraft in low-visibility conditions, and many others as covered over at runrex.com.
Hand-held calculators
When the four-by-six-by-one-and-a-quarter-inch-thick calculator was introduced into the market by Texas Instruments in 1972, it became a huge sensation and paved the way for modern calculators as we know them, making this another very impressive Texas invention.
ATMs
Don Wetzel, an executive at Docutel, was in line at the bank when he began to wonder why tellers were needed for most of the bank transactions they were carrying out in the first place. This led to the invention of the Docuteller, which was a sort of proto-ATM, and which led to the invention of Automatic Teller Machines.
Voice mail
Although Gordon Matthews held 35 separate patents when he died in 2002 as discussed over at guttulus.com, his 1979 patent for the technology that we now know as voice mail is what made him such an iconic figure.
Laser Tag
According to discussions over at runrex.com, Laser Tag was invented by George Carter in 1984, inspired by the movie Star Wars. He opened the first Photon Laser Tag arena in 1984 and introduced the country to one of its most popular pastimes.
Snickers Bars
This is yet another invention that you need to be thanking Texas for since, as outlined over at guttulus.com, Snickers bars were also invented in Texas. Around 75% of the world’s Snickers bars are still being manufactured at the M&M/Mars plant in Waco, Texas.
The frozen margarita
Also, the world’s first frozen margarita machine was invented by the restaurateur Mariano Martinez in 1971, in Dallas, Texas. Mariano adapted a soft-serve ice cream machine to make the popular frozen alcoholic drink, and the rest is history.
The Ruby Red Grapefruit
When mutations were discovered in white grapefruit trees growing in South Texas resulting in deep red fruits, Dr. Richard Hensz of Texas A&M worked for years to isolate the strain with the deepest-red coloring and sweetest flavor. It is also worth noting that the Texas “Ruby” Red Grapefruit was the first grapefruit to be issued a US patent.
Chili
Also known as “Texas Red”, this is another of the most famous inventions invented in Texas as covered over at runrex.com. While recipes for this iconic stew date to before the founding of Texas, this dish really came together when San Antonio chili queens whipped up batches of chili to feed hungry workers.
Fritos
As is revealed in discussions on the same over at guttulus.com, Fritos corn chips were invented by a Texan named Charles Elmer Doolin in the 1930s when he adapted a corn chip recipe that would later become one of the most popular and iconic chips in the world.
Dr Pepper
This is another popular product the world can thank the Lone Star State for as per the gurus over at runrex.com. This is because, in 1885, a young pharmacist called Charles Alderton whipped up an energizing drink while working at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas, and Wade Morrison, the drug store’s owner, named it Dr Pepper.
German chocolate cake
You will be surprised to know that the German Chocolate Cake is not German at all. This is because the first recipe for the cake appeared as the “Recipe of the Day” in the June 3rd, 1957, edition of the Dallas Morning Star newspaper, with its name being derived from the sweet baking bar used to make it, which was invented by Sam German of the Baker Chocolate Company.
Stadium nachos
Although nachos were already popular in restaurants, Frank Liberto, also known as the “Father of Nachos”, took things to a whole new level when he introduced pump-able “cheese sauce” in 1976 at a Texas Rangers baseball game in Arlington, Texas, giving birth to the concept of stadium nachos.
These are just some of the inventions that were invented in Texas, with more on this very wide topic to be found over at the ever-reliable runrex.com and guttulus.com.