Famous Inventions from Winnipeg
From pizza pops to Command Start™, Winnipeg has been the birthplace of some great inventions, ideas, and ventures.
Winnipeggers are full of ingenuity and craftiness. The city’s long harsh winters give people in the 204 lots of time to think and hone their craft. As a result, Winnipeg has left its mark on the world, giving birth to some truly game-changing innovations.
Today, Rumor’s Comedy Club take a closer a look at Winnipeg’s groundbreaking innovations and how they changed the world forever.
Winnipeg Inventions
Not only does Winnipeg find itself at the heart of the continent, it also happens to be at the heart of some of the greatest inventions of our time. Winnipeg’s contributions to science and technology are many. Here’s a list of inventions pioneered in Winnipeg.
The Mobile Phone
You know that thing in your pocket that you look at every 45 seconds that you can’t live without? You have a Winnipegger to thank for that. Martin Cooper, to be precise.
Cooper pioneered the mobile telephone in the early 1970s, making the first public cellphone call on April 3, 1973. Back then cellphones were large and heavy, and only made and received telephone calls — that’s right, no Instagram.
Initially, Cooper’s invention was met with scepticism, and he was told that there would be a very limited market for a mobile phone. Flash forward to today, and the idea of a person not having a mobile phone seems inconceivable.
Garbage Bags
If you hate taking out the garbage now, imagine how awful that chore must have been before Winnipeg inventor, Harry Wasylyk, invented the garbage bag.
The first trash bag was invented to be used at the Winnipeg General Hospital as a way of mitigating the spread of polio. The invention became a household item in the 1960s when the Union Carbide Company purchased the idea and began making Glad brand garbage bags.
Pizza Pops
Yes, that most perfect microwabvable snack was invented right here in Winnipeg. Pizza pops have been a staple of teenage diets since they were invented in 1964 by Winnipegger, Paul Faraci, who sought to replicate and modify the calzone. Pillsbury Pizza Pops are still made in Winnipeg to this day.
Command Start
Winnipeggers are tough people, but sitting in -40 degree temperatures, waiting for the car to warm up just isn’t appealing, no matter who you are. That’s why Winnipeg inventor Hans Kraus took matters into his own hands and invented the Command Start system.
The Fax Machine
Winnipegger Sir William Stephenson invented a machine that enabled media outlets to share photographs via wire photo transmitter. The technology was used as the basis for the fax machine.
Oh, and Sir William Stephenson, himself a World War II spy, was used as the basis for Ian Flemming’s James Bond novels.
Human Chromosomes
Before Winnipeg emigrant John L. Hammerton confirmed the number of human chromosomes to be 46, the science world operated under the belief that we humans had 48 chromosomes, like chimpanzees, orangutans, and other apes.
Big Bang Theory
The orgins of the Universe can actually be traced all the way back to St. Vital. That’s where astrophysicist Jim Peeples was born and raised.
Peebles is the current Albert Einstein Professor in Science at Princeton University, and his research has contributed significantly to the Big Bang theory, as well as the theories of dark matter and dark energy. He is also the co-recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Green Peace
You might expect a group of environmental activists like Green Peace to come from a west coast liberal haven like San Francisco or Portland, but you’d be wrong. Green Peace was founded by Winnipeg journalist Bob Hunter, who led a number of high-profile anti-nuclear campaigns aboard Green Peace’s flagship vessel, Rainbow Warrior. Since then, Green Peace has become synonymous with the environmenal movement across the world.
Harlequin Romance Novels
The number one name in romance novels, Harlequin, hails from the most romantic city on Earth — Winnipeg. The Winnipeg-based publisher began publishing steamy love stories in 1949, and totally revolutionized the romance novel industry.
Freshii
If you want fresh food fast, your best bet is to stop in at the nearest Freshii location. Before 2005, you could have fast food or you could have fresh food, but you couldn’t have both. Freshii changed all that — and it was founded by Winnipeg native, Matthew Corrin.
More: How to become a comedian in Winnipeg
The most inventive people in Winnipeg are at Rumor's Comedy Club
The inventive spirit of Winnipeg is not relegated to scientists and professors. Some of the most creative and inventive people in Winnipeg are the comedians of this great city.
Winnipeg’s comedy scene is thriving, and you can see all the best up-and-coming stand-up comics at Rumor’s Comedy Club. We also bring in top talent from across North America, including many acts that you’ve seen on late night shows like Conan, Jimmy Kimmel, and The Tonight Show.
We have a full dinner menu, including our legendary nacho platter, and we have great door deals for weekday shows. Come on down and see why Rumor’s has been named one of the top 10 comedy clubs in North America.
“Always a good time at Rumors!! Good food friendly staff great place!!” - Tegan O.
- Cover photo by Rodio Kutsaiev on Unsplash