List of Jamaican inventions and discoveries

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.

Agriculture

• The Ortanique, by D. Phillips and C. Jackson.
• Jamaica Hope, by Thomas Lecky.
• Jamaica Black, by Thomas Lecky.
• Jamaica Red, by Thomas Lecky.
• ‘The Sorrel Deseeder’, by Oral and Allison Turner.

A sorrel harvesting machine, believed to be the first to automate the difficult task of separating red calyces from sorrel seeds.

Astronomy and astrophysics

• Pioneered the use of spectroscopic tomography in the field of astronomy, by Mercedes Richards.
• Discovery of starspots on the cool star in an Algol binary, by Mercedes Richards.
• First to make images of the gravitational flow of gas between the stars in any interacting binary-star system, by Mercedes Richards.
• First successful imaging of the chromospheres and accretion disks in Algol binaries, by Mercedes Richards.
• First to make theoretical hydrodynamic simulations of the Algol binary stars, by Mercedes Richards.
• First to apply novel distance correlation statistical methods to large astronomical databases, by Mercedes Richards.

Biology and medicine

• First comprehensive human microbiome study, by Karen Nelson.
• First Caribbean prostate cancer cell line (ACRJ-PC28), by Simone Badal McCreath.
• Discovery of Kwashiorkor, by Cicely Williams.

She also devised a treatment plan for Kwashiorkor, emphasizing the use of high-protein beans and educating parents about balanced nutrition.

• Discovery of the antibiotic Monamycin, by Kenneth E. Magnus (and Cedric Hassall).

Monamycin was instrumental in the development of drugs widely used in the treatment of hypertension.

• The ‘Goffe’ strain, by Alan Powell Goffe.

An attenuated measles strain also known as the ‘Beckenham’ strain. It formed the basis of numerous measles vaccines administered globally.

• Pioneering treatments for paediatric sickle cell anaemia, by Yvette Francis-McBarnette.

She was the first to use prophylactic antibiotics to treat children with sickle cell anaemia.

• Pioneering work on glucose transport, Evan Dale Abel (and Barbara Kahn).

Established the critical link between adipose tissue glucose transporter (GLUT4) and whole-body insulin resistance.

• Canasol, by Manley West and Albert Lockhart.

An eye drop that alleviates intraocular fluid pressure in patients with late-stage glaucoma.

• Asmasol, by West and Lockhart.

A treatment for bronchial asthma, coughs and colds.

• Canavert, by West and Lockhart.

A treatment for motion sickness.

• Alpha Prostate, by Henry Lowe.

A supplement used in the management of prostate health.

• The JaipurKnee, co-designed by Joel Sadler.

A low-budget prosthetic knee featuring a self-lubricating mechanism that enables multi-plane rotation, offering greater flexibility and stability compared to traditional inexpensive single-axis models. Named one of Time's best innovations of 2009, it has since been exported to support amputees worldwide.

• The (Ramphal) Cardiac Surgery Simulator, by Dr Paul Ramphal and Dr Daniel Coore.

The model is utilized to train cardiothoracic surgery residents across the United States.

Chemistry

• The "armed-disarmed" principle, by Bertram Fraser-Reid.
• O-pentenyl glycosides as glycosyl donors for oligosaccharide synthesis, by Bertram Fraser-Reid.
• Construction of the largest ever synthetic hetero-oligosaccharide without the use of automated methods, by Bertram Fraser-Reid.
• A type of metallocene catalyst for making polyolefins (particularly Polypropylene), by John Alexander Ewen.

This innovation provided greater control over polymer structure, enabling manufacturers to produce stronger and more durable plastics. Ewen's work is often credited with transforming the plastics industry, paving the way for the development of versatile, high-performance materials.

• The “Ewen Symmetry Rules", by John Alexander Ewen. These rules guide the design of catalysts to create specific polymer properties and are considered a starting point for catalyst design in the industry.

• First to report photopolymerisation, by John Buddle Blyth (and August Wilhelm von Hofmann).
• First to use the term "synthesis" (its present-day meaning), by John Buddle Blyth (and August Wilhelm von Hofmann).
• First textbook to incorporate chemical symbols and formulae as well as organic chemistry, by Edward Turner.
• Discovery of a process to chemically recycle polycarbonates while preventing BPA (bisphenol-A) from leaching, by Gavin Jones (and Jeannette Garcia).
• Contributed to the development of a new class of polymers, by Gavin Jones.
• 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.
• 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.
• Isolation of Eryngial from Eryngium foetidum and Identification as an anti-threadworm agent by Reese, Robinson and Forbes.

Computing

• Lingo programming language used in Adobe Director, by John Henry Thompson.

Lingo empowered users to create sophisticated animations and interactive content without requiring advanced programming skills. This innovation played a significant role in democratizing multimedia creation, making it more accessible to a broader audience. Thompson's work helped lay the foundation for modern video games, web design, animation, graphics and other interactive media.

• XObjects, by John Henry Thompson.
• Methods and apparatus for managing mobile content, co-invented by John Henry Thompson.

• Pioneering work in database security and privacy, by Tyrone W A Grandison. He has created product initiatives in RFID data management, privacy-preserving mobile data management, private social network analysis, text analytics and healthcare management systems. In his role as an IBM Master Inventor, some of Grandison's co-inventions include the following:

A method and a system for preserving privacy of a dataset

Data Ingest optimization

A system for monitoring global online opinions via semantic extraction

A personalized electronic healthcare management system

Methods for providing and managing privacy scores

Automated information discovery and traceability for evidence generation

Unified numerical and semantic analytics system for decision support

• Walt W. Braithwaite spearheaded the development of CAD/CAM systems at Boeing, enabling the digital design and manufacture of airplanes. He also contributed significantly 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.

Cuisine

Further information: Jamaican cuisine

• Chocolate milk
• Tia Maria
• Irish Moss
• Jerk
• Jamaican patty
• Red peas soup
• Run down
• Mannish water
• Hummingbird cake
• Bustamante backbone
• Coconut drop
• Bammy
• Toto
• Coco bread
• Bulla cake
• Festival

Electronics

• The 3K.93C connector, by Glen McFarlane.

A fibreoptic interconnect system that enables TV cameras to broadcast in UHD. It has been adopted by the American, Japanese and European standards organisations for HDTV fibre links for the broadcast market and has become a standard product in the broadcasting sector.

Fashion

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

Games

• Nubian Jak, by Jak Beula Dodd.
• Automated Double-Dutch jump rope machine, by Tahira Reid Smith.
• Kivi (2016), co-designed by Sheyla Bonnick.
• Eye Catch (2017), co-designed by Sheyla Bonnick
• Sneak Peek (2018), co-designed by Sheyla Bonnick.
• Kalooki
• Popongo, by Errol Anderson.

Genetics

• Discovery of more than three million previously unreported genetic variants, by Neil Hanchard (and team).
• Discovery of new genes associated with rare mendelian disorders, by Neil Hanchard
• Discovery of novel genes involved in the development of congenital cardiovascular disorders, by Neil Hanchard.
• A PRSV resistant transgenic local papaya (Jamaica Solo Sunrise), by Paula Tennant.

Industrial processes

• Barley abrasion process, by Geoff Palmer.

A patented technique that accelerates malt production from grain and is widely used in British brewing. This method improves efficiency and is estimated to have saved the brewing industry millions of pounds.

• Discovery that enzymes critical to the malting process originate from the bran, by Geoff Palmer.

During the 1950s and 60s, it was widely believed that malting enzymes originated from the grain during germination. However, Palmer's research revealed that the enzymes actually came from the bran, transforming the understanding of malting and underscoring the crucial role of the bran in the process.

• Pioneered the use of the scanning electron microscope to study malt production in detail, by Geoff Palmer.
• A commercial process to extract quassinoids from bitterwood, by Yee and Jacobs.
• A process for extracting valuable mineral by-products from bauxite, by Lightbourne and Barclay Baetz.
• There is debate surrounding the origins and true inventor of the "Cort process", a method for producing wrought iron during the Industrial Revolution. While Henry Cort is often credited as the creator, evidence suggests that he may have appropriated the technique from Black metallurgists in Jamaica.

Marine science

• Electrified reef, by Thomas J. Goreau (and Wolf Hilbertz).

In 1976, Wolf Hilbertz invented a method to create building materials from seawater minerals using low-voltage electrical currents. Hilbertz and Thomas J. Goreau co-discovered that this process could also be adapted to enhance coral growth and restore marine ecosystems. They named the technology Biorock, which has since been successfully implemented in various locations worldwide.

• The Goreau-Hayes Hotspot Method, by Thomas J. Goreau (and R. Hayes).

The method tracks and forecasts coral bleaching events by analyzing anomalies in sea surface temperatures. Using satellite data, it pinpoints 'hotspots' where ocean temperatures exceed the historical average for the warmest month, placing stress on coral reefs and triggering bleaching. This approach has been utilized by organizations such as NOAA Coral Reef Watch and various researchers to study and manage marine ecosystems effectively.

Music and arts

Further information: Culture of Jamaica

• 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".
• Modern remixing of sounds.
• One drop rhythm
• Toasting
• Dub poetry
• Dinki Mini
• Bogle dance
• Bruckins
• Dutty Wine
• Butterfly dance
• Skank

Religion, politics and ethics

• Rastafari
• Kumina
• Myal
• Garveyism
• Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL), founded by Marcus Garvey and Amy Ashwood Garvey.
• The League of Coloured Peoples (LCP), founded by Harold Moody
• British Cultural Studies or the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies, co-founded by Stuart Hall

Space exploration

• A system and method for portable nondestructive examination with realtime three-dimensional tomography, by Robert Rashford (and Charles Rivera).

This invention is the world's first portable 3D non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system. It is designed to detect flaws in materials used in the construction of aircraft, spacecraft, and industrial pipelines without requiring disassembly. The system was employed in the maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope for the United States Government.

• A single-person spacecraft, co-invented by Robert Rashford.

It has a unique combination of features, including a pressurized crew enclosure, an external equipment bay, and a distinctive overhead crown assembly. It is part of the Orbital Reef project, serving as an alternative to spacesuits for tasks like satellite servicing and tourist excursions.

• A protective enclosure for transporting orbital replacement units (ORUs) within a space craft, by Robert Rashford.

Notably, the enclosure incorporates honeycombed aluminum sheets and lightweight edge connectors, reducing overall weight. It played a crucial role in NASA's ability to safely transport the sensitive ORUs for the Hubble Space Telescope during its servicing missions.

• An enclosure for spaceflight hardware, co-invented by Robert Rashford.

The device was used during the Hubble Telescope servicing missions to protect and safely transport vital hardware.

• Robert Rashford designed and developed unique spacecraft support systems for the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Airborne Support Equipment (UASE) at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). At General Electric, he designed and tested various spacecraft for commercial and military applications. At Bechtel Corporation, he designed a nuclear reactor support structure. He has created numerous complex engineering systems that successfully flew on NASA's Manned Space Flight Programs.

Transport

• Radial tyres, Jamaican-born Arthur William Savage is often cited as the inventor.
• An improved process for making inner tubes for vehicle tires, by Arthur William Savage.

Weaponry

• Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle, by Arthur William Savage.
• First completely modern removable box magazine, by Arthur William Savage.

Miscellaneous

• Discovery of previously unknown historical human migration patterns, by Neil Hanchard (and team).
• Discovery of a new and distinct variety of the Zingiberacae family, by Errol McGhie.
• Discoveries about the mating habits of redback spiders, by Maydianne Andrade.
• Discovery of a new species of Pisonia.
• An Agrobacterium-mediated protein expression vector designated pGD, by Michael Goodin (and Dietzgen). This contributed to the widespread use of pGD agroinfiltration as a basic tool for plant biology studies.
• Tools that scientists now use worldwide, to study interactions between viral and plant proteins at the molecular level, by Michael Goodin.
• Novel viral minireplication systems and establishment of model plant viral hosts, by Michael Goodin.
• The H2-Flex, by Harlo Mayne.
• Patented magnetic gearbox system, by George Winston Whitfield and Howard Martin Chin.
• A novel method of long multiplication, by Nira Chamberlain. His invention has been used in some UK schools.
• The Cassidy System, by Frederic G. Cassidy.