Made in Romania

It is not everyday that we stop to recognize some of the contributions Romanians have given to the world. Below is a short list of a few of the notable discoveries and inventions made by Romanians over the centuries.

Romanians invented the game of baseball, calling it Oina. It was originally played by shepherds in the year 1364.

Dr. Ştefan Odobleja, a Romanian scientist, is renowned as the “father of cybernetics" by laying the theoretical foundations of what became known later as cybernetics.

Nicolae Paulescu, a Romanian professor, was the first to discover insulin.

Romanian aviator Henri Coanda, in 1910, built and piloted the world's first jet-powered aircraft. Later the "Coandă effect" of was named after him (as was also the airport in Bucharest).

Romanian inventor Petrache Poenaru received a patent for the invention of the first fountain pen with a replaceable ink cartridge on May 25, 1827.

In the 1920s-1960s, Romanian scientist Hermann Oberth was a pioneer in the development of rocketry and astronautics. He coined the term "space station." (In Star Trek the Oberth-class starship is named after him.) Here in Sighişoara, one of the main squares is named after him. (The bust on the left is on display in that square.)