The following list is composed of items, techniques and processes that were invented by or discovered by people from Spain.
Spain was an important center of knowledge during the medieval era. While most of western and southern Europe suffered from the collapse of the Roman Empire, although declining, some regions of the former empire, Hispania, southern Italy, and the remainder of the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire, did not to suffer from the full impact of the so-called Dark Ages when education collapsed with the collapse of the empire and most knowledge was lost. The Islamic conquests of places such as Egypt, which was a major part of the Byzantine Empire, and other places which were centers of knowledge in earlier times, gave the Muslims access to knowledge from many cultures which they translated into Arabic and recorded in books for the use of their own educated elites, who flourished in this period, and took with them to the Hispania after it fell under Muslim control. Much of this knowledge was later translated by Christian and Jewish scholars in the Christian kingdoms of the Reconquista from Arabic into Latin, and from there it spread through Europe.
Inventions and discoveries from the Golden Age of Al Andalus Mercuric oxide, first synthesized by Abu al-Qasim al-Qurtubi al-Majriti (10th century). Water and weight driven mechanical clocks, by Spanish Muslim engineers sometime between 900–1200 AD. According to historian Will Durant, a watch like device was invented by Ibn Firnas. Inheritance of traits first proposed by Abu Al-Zahrawi (936–1013 AD) more than 800 years before Austrian monk, Mendel. Al-Zahrawi was first to record and suggest that hemophilia was an inherited disease. Spherical Trigonometry - work of Abū Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Muʿādh al-Jayyānī (989–1079 AD). Greatly influenced Western mathematics, including the works of Regiomontanus. Animal Testing, first recorded use of animals for medical testing was done by Ibn Zuhr, known as Avenzoar, (1094–1162). Inhalation anesthesia, invented by al-Zahrawi and Ibn Zuhr. Used a sponge soaked with narcotic drugs to be inhalated by the patient. Eye glasses, first invented by Ibn Firnas in the 9th century. Modern surgery. Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (936–1013 AD), better known in the west as Albucasis, is regarded as the father of modern surgery and is the most quoted surgeon of all times. Albucasis invented over 200 tools for use in surgery - many still in use today. Migraine surgery, first performed by al-Zahrawi (936–1013 AD). Ectopic pregnancy, first described by Al-Zahrawi (936–1013 AD). Pharmacopoeia (book of medicine). During the 14th century, the physician from Malaga, Ibn Baytar, wrote a pharmacopoeia naming over 1400 different drugs and their uses in medicine. This book was written 200 years before the supposed first pharmacopoeia was written by German scholar in 1542. First process of creating artificial crystals by Ibn Firnas. Oscillation theory of the obliquity of the ecliptic by Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm ibn Yaḥyā al-Naqqāsh al-Zarqālī, also known as Al-Zarqali or Ibn Zarqala (1029–1087). Averroism - the school of philosophy founded by Al-Andalus philosopher Averroes. Averroes in one of the most quoted men of the medieval era and has greatly influenced Western Europe. Equatorium by Ibn al-Samh.
Animation M-Tecnofantasy - is an animation technique, created by Francisco Macián Blasco, that animators use to trace over motion picture footage, frame by frame, to produce realistic action similar to rotoscopy.
Architecture and construction Azulejo Calatrava style - The futuristic style of architecture invented and designed by world renown Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava. Examples include the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, the planned Chicago Spire, Puente del Alamillo, in Seville, and the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub at rebuilt New World Trade Center site in New York City. Catalan Gothic Catalan Modernisme - a very influential style of architecture used not only in Catalonia but throughout Spain. Its greatest pioneer was the most famous architect Antoni Gaudí and his masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. Hacienda Herrerian Horseshoe arch was first used in Visigothic Spain. Isabelline Gothic Valencian Gothic Valencian Art Nouveau Levantine Gothic Masia Mozarabic Mudéjar style Neo-Mudéjar Palloza Pazo Plateresque Purism architecture Repoblación Spanish Colonial Architecture Spanish Tile Visigothic
Chemistry Pure alcohol distillation Modern toxicology, by Mathieu Orfila (1787–1853). Discovery of vanadium (as vanadinite) in 1801 by geologist and chemist Andrés Manuel del Río (1764–1849) Discovery of tungsten by Fausto Elhuyar and his brother Juan José Elhuyar in 1783. Discovery of platinum by scientist, soldier and author Antonio de Ulloa (1716–1795) with Jorge Juan y Santacilia (1713–1773). Discovery of carbon monoxide and pure alcohol by alchemist and physician Arnold of Villanova (c. 1235–1311) D. Campbell, Arabian Medicine and Its Influence on the Middle Ages, p. 5.
Computing and Communications
Telekino, pioneering of remote control, by engineer and computer pioneer Leonardo Torres Quevedo (1852–1936) Electronic book by teacher, writer and inventor Ángela Ruiz Robles (1895-1975).Gaceta de la Actualidad Técnica. Year II, No. 14, September 1955
Cuisine Sweet chocolate - the Mesoamericans drank chocolate strait bitter and sometimes flavored with spicy peppers. Spanish conquistadors were not fans of the original mix and instead created their own sweeten hot chocolate by adding sugar from sugar cane. For many years, the Spanish kept their prized chocolate a secret until its expansion into other European courts. Chorizo Jamón ibérico Spanish omelette Jerez - also known as Sherry Paella Spanish cuisine
Economics Development of the first monetarist theory and the quantitative theory of money by economist Martín de Azpilcueta (1492–1586), member of the School of Salamanca.Giraud, Bibli. Sacr., II 334-336 (gives list of his writings) Precursor of international law theory by Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1480/86 – 1546), member of the School of Salamanca. First registered use of paper currency.
Fashion Spain has been a center of fashion since medieval times. Barcelona and Madrid have both been named as fashion capitals of the world, with Barcelona being the fifth most important fashion capital in the world back in 2015. Spain is the home country of the largest fashion retail store and textiles designer in the world, Zara and its parent Inditex, making their CEO main shareholder, Amancio Ortega Gaona, the second wealthiest man in the world in 2015. Barcelona is the headquarters of another international retail company, Mango.
Inventions: Farthingale Spray-on-clothing by Manel Torres
Mathematics and statistics Borda Count - by Ramon Llull, around 1299, centuries before Jean-Charles de Borda.G. Hägele & F. Pukelsheim (2001). "Llull's writings on electoral systems". Studia Lulliana. 41: 3–38. Condorcet criterion - by Ramon Llull, around 1299, centuries before Nicolas de Condorcet. Contributions to the field of Dynamical Systems by Ricardo Pérez-Marco Nualart stochastic processes and stochastic analysis (field of probability theory). Speculative Arithmetic Gregorian calendar - reforms from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar by Spanish mathematician, Pedro Chacón. Geostatistical Analysis of Compositional Data by Vera Pawlowsky-Glahn and Ricardo A. Olea. Group Theory and Lie algebras works done by Maria Wonenburger (1927–2014). Integral geometry by Luís Antoni Santaló Sors Modelling and Analysis of Compositional Data by Vera Pawlowsky-Glahn, Juan José Egozcue, Raimon Tolosana-Delgado Nonlinear partial differential equations and their applications by Juan Luis Vázquez Suárez Tirocinio aritmético by María Andrea Casamayor (1700–1780). Works of Enrique Zuazua in applied mathematics in the fields of partial differential equations, control theory and numerical analysis.
Medicine and biology
Synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) by Nobel prize Laureate Severo Ochoa (1905–1993). Neuroscience by Nobel prize Laureate (1906) Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934). Discovery of the microglia or Hortega cell by the neuroscientist Pío del Río Hortega (1882–1945) Discovery that the human cell has 46 chromosomes - jointly discovered with a Swedish scientist. Discovery that the parasitic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, reproduce by cloning - discovered by Francisco J. Ayala. The effect of hormone levels on the mind - crucial to forming a relationship between psychology and endocrinology, by Gregorio Marañón. First European description of pulmonary circulation by scientist, surgeon and humanist Miguel Servet (1511–1553) 2011 “The love for truth. Life and work of Michael Servetus”, (El amor a la verdad. Vida y obra de Miguel Servet.), printed by Navarro y Navarro, Zaragoza, collaboration with the Government of Navarra, Department of Institutional Relations and Education of the Government of Navarra, 607 pp, 64 of them illustrations, p. 215–228 & 62nd illustration (XLVII) A worldwide used "two-piece" disposable syringe (1978) by Manuel Jalón Corominas (1925–2011) manuel jalon inventor fregona Use of Radiology and Radiotherapy for diagnostics by Celedonio Calatayud (1880-1931).Spanish National Library - La Esfera, December 28, 1918 Antiseptics were in used as early as the 10th century in hospitals in Islamic Spain. Special protocols, in Al Andalus, were used to keep hygiene before and after surgery. Botany, Spanish botanist, like Ibn al-Baitar, created hundreds of works/catalogs on the various plants in not only Europe but the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In these works many processes for extracting essential oils, drugs as well as their uses can be found. The CRISPR System, discovered by Francisco Mojica, from the University of Alicante. Epidural anesthesia discovered by Fidel Pagés Miravé, in 1921. Laryngoscope by singer, music educator, and vocal pedagogue Manuel García (1805–1906).
Ligatures, described in the work of Al-Zahrawi (936–1013 AD), Kitab al-Tasrif, one of the most influential books in early modern medicine. Describes the process of performing a ligature on blood vessels. Nuubo - Wearable medical technology that measures heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration, body temperature and current location. Silver bromide method. Wheelchair - first European design for the use of the most powerful man in the world at the time, King Phillip II of Spain, who was suffering from gout. Yellow Fever Transmission - Luis Alvarez, born in Havana, Cuba (then Kingdom of Spain) was first to discover that Yellow Fever was transmitted through mosquitoes Aedes aegypti.
Meteorology The barocyclonometer, the nephoscope, and the microseismograph by meteorologist José María Algué (1856–1930).Walsh, James J. Science in the Philippines, New York.Warren, James Francis (2009). "Scientific Superman: Father José Algué, Jesuit Meteorology, and the Philippines under American Rule, 1897-1924." In Colonial Crucible: Empire in the Making of the Modern American State, Part VIII, University of Wisconsin Press.
Military First amphibious landing of tanks at Alhucemas bay in 1925Douglas Porch, "Spain's African Nightmare," MHQ: Quarterly Journal of Military History (2006) 18#2 pp 28–37. and a precursor of Allied amphibious operations in World War II. Destructor - The main precursor of the destroyer type of warship, laid down in 1885."El Destructor (...) was referred to as a destroyer in print at the time." Banbury, Philip (1971). Shipbuilders of the Thames and Medway. David and Charles, p. 300. Smith, Charles Edgar: A short history of naval and marine engineering. Babcock & Wilcox, ltd. at the University Press, 1937, page 263 Training of aggressive dogs for warfare.