Canada may be a young country, but when it comes to inventions, it gave the world a lot. Here are ten inventions, from the most life-changing to the purely entertaining ones without which the world would be a different place:
Insulin
The discovery of insulin stands out as the most renowned medical breakthrough from Canada in the 20th century. During the early 1900s, physiologists hypothesized that the pancreas played a role in regulating blood sugar levels, leading them to endeavor to extract its internal secretion for managing diabetes. In 1921, Sir Frederick G. Banting, Charles H. Best, and JJR Macleod made the groundbreaking discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto. Subsequently, James B. Collip further refined and purified the insulin. Banting and Macleod shared a Nobel Prize for the discovery.
Prosthetic Hand
In 1971, a Canadian inventor, Helmut Lucas, developed the electric prosthetic hand. It stood out from earlier models due to its durability, strength, and flexibility. What set it apart was its ability to detect signals from the user’s nervous and muscular systems, enabling amputees to control the hand—a revolutionary advancement in prosthetics.
Pacemaker
In 1950, John “Jack” Alexander Hopps, along with Dr. Wilfred Bigelow and Dr. John Callaghan, collaborated to develop the world’s inaugural artificial pacemaker. This pioneering device, designed to maintain a steady heartbeat, was initially external. However, its creation laid the groundwork for the internal pacemaker, which emerged eight years later. This achievement represented a remarkable fusion of engineering and medical expertise, marking a significant milestone in healthcare innovation. A pacemaker sill remains one of Canada’s most significant inventions.
Lightbulb
Thomas Edison is universally recognized as the inventor of the incandescent light bulb. However, it is Canadians Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans who actually developed and patented an electric filament lamp before Edison had fully explored electric lighting. Woodward and Evans successfully created their incandescent lamp years ahead of Edison’s initial prototype. However, they struggled to garner support for their invention and eventually sold their patents to Edison. It was Edison who ultimately succeeded in commercializing the light bulb and establishing the necessary electrical distribution networks to power it.
Telephone
Despite the passage of one hundred and forty years since Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone, there remains significant controversy regarding his status as the device’s true inventor. Numerous individuals, including Antonio Meucci, Elisha Gray, and Johann Reis, were concurrently engaged in similar work in the field, each laying claim to the title of the telephone’s “father.” Even if priority is granted to Bell, the invention of telephone cannot be solely attributed to Canada. Bell himself acknowledged that while the concept was conceived in Brantford, its development took place in his workshop in Boston. Additionally, Bell’s own background is complex. He was born in Scotland, immigrated to Canada in 1870, and later became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He divided his time between Canada and the United States until his death in 1922 at his estate near Baddeck, Nova Scotia.
Snowmobile
Joseph Armand Bombardier is widely recognized for founding Bombardier Inc., a prominent transportation company renowned for manufacturing planes and trains. However, his initial claim to fame came with the invention of the snowmobile in 1936. This creation revolutionized travel in regions with severe winter climates, providing a solution to navigating through challenging snowy terrain.
Java Script
James Gosling is credited with the creation of Java in California during the early 1990s. Born in Alberta, this computer scientist is often referred to as the father of Java. He collaborated, however, with colleagues Mike Sheridan and Patrick Naughton during its development. Java was conceived with the principle of enabling application developers to “write once, run anywhere.” That meant that compiled Java code can operate on any platform supporting Java without necessitating recompilation. The inaugural version was launched in 1995, and Java continues to be one of the most widely utilized programming languages to date.
Electric Wheelchair
Following the Second World War, George J. Klein introduced the electric wheelchair, one of the most important inventions in history. It significantly enhanced the quality of life for individuals with disabilities worldwide. Klein’s professional trajectory was dedicated to innovation. His proficiency spanned both practical and academic realms, leading to impactful contributions in various fields. His inventions include the first microsurgical staple gun, the ZEEP nuclear reactor which was the precursor to the CANDU reactor, the international system for classifying ground-cover snow, aircraft skis and the Weasel all-terrain vehicle, among other things.
Trivial Pursuit
Chris Haney, a photo editor for Montreal’s The Gazette, and Scott Abbott, a sports editor for The Canadian Press, conceived the game on December 15, 1979, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Faced with missing pieces from their Scrabble set, they embarked on creating their own game that swept Canada, and subsequently the whole world. Trivia is a board game that tests a player’s general knowledge about Geography, Entertainment, History, Art and Literature, Science and Nature, and Sports and Leisure. In the 1980s, the game outsold Monopoly.
Superman
In 1933, Joe Shuster, a Canadian cartoonist, collaborated with writer Jerry Siegel to bring to life the iconic Superman comic book character. This legendary partnership gave birth to one of the most beloved and enduring superheroes in popular culture.
Thank you Canada!
