[img]96|left|Shachar||no_popup[/img]Dateline Jerusalem — In this modern era, the world takes for granted so many medical discoveries and technological inventions. It is almost hard to keep up with all these innovations. When I started my law practice, I did not own a computer or carry a cell phone. I cannot imagine what I would do without those items today. I have become a “slave” to technology. Yet so much of what we take for granted today was discovered or invented in Israel, a country only 62 years old.
Some of the most notable Israeli accomplishments in the fields of science, medicine, engineering and technology might surprise you. How many items on the following list, in no particular order, are you aware of as being the brainchild of Israelis? Hint, they all are.
DiskOnKey
Voice mail technology
SMS
Instant Messenger for AOL and MSN
Windows NT and XP operating systems such as Pentium-4,
Centrino,
Pentium MMX chip
USB Flash Drive
Computer chip for IBM personal computers
Cell phone for Motorola
The first anti-virus software
Camera chip for cell phones
Drip irrigation systems
Solar water heating
World's largest desalinization plant
World's largest solar energy production facility
Keyless biometric security systems based on voice and face recognition
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Artificial gills to make underwater tanks in diving unnecessary
CT scanners
MRI
Ultrasound scanners
Nuclear medicine cameras
Surgical lasers
B Stent for hearts
Video camera in a pill for detecting digestive problems (capsule endoscopy)
Development of interferon proteins effective against viral infections
Robotic exoskeleton to help paraplegics walk and climb stairs (recently seen on TV show Glee)
Copaxone and Laquinimol (most used drugs for multiple sclerosis)
Rasagiline for treatment of Parkinson's Disease
Liquid polymer to prevent accumulation of tooth plaque
Device to reduce swelling of benign and cancerous prostate glands
Advanced plastic patch that disables micro-organisms, can knock out acne, keep milk from spoiling, make juice boxes bacteria-free
Pea-sized telescope implant to improve vision in patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the elderly
Watch Pat watch and fingertip test that helps diagnose sleep apnea
Endo Pat fingertip device that predicts the development of heart disease
Cherry tomatoes
Bug-less lettuce
There are so many more inventions. But the above were among the most interesting to me. No wonder Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to population in the world. No wonder its universities and research institutions are known for their academic excellence. No wonder Israel has the highest percentage of home computers in the world. No wonder the Israeli pharmaceutical company TEVA is the world's largest maker of antibiotics and one of the largest makers of generic drugs as well as providing every 1 in 15 prescriptions in the US. The list goes on and on.
So how many were you aware of?
L'hitraot. Shachar