OR

source:wikipedia.org
29 Sep, 1899
24 Oct, 1985
Natural causes
Hungarian, Argentine
Journalist
86
László Jozsef Biro was born in Budapest, Hungary on September 29, 1899. László Bíró was a Hungarian-Argentine inventor known for creating the first commercially successful modern ball pen. His invention transformed writing and became a widely used tool globally.
Biro was born into a Hungarian Jewish family. His father, Moses Matyas Schweiger, was a dentist. In 1905 the family’s surname was changed from Schweiger to Biro. László had an older brother, György, who later played a key role in his discoveries.
While specific information about Biro’s further education is scarce, we do know that he pursued a variety of interests and professions. He briefly studied medicine at university but became more interested in hypnosis than conventional medicine. László Bíró worked as a journalist, magazine publisher, sculptor and painter. His experiences shaped his problem-solving approach.
Bíró’s main contribution came from an observation he made while working as a journalist. He observed newspaper ink drying faster than fountain pen ink at a printing press. This triggered the concept for a new type of writing tool.
In the early 1930s, Bíró commenced working on a pen that would use short-drying ink. With the assist of his brother György, a chemist, he developed a new design that replaced the conventional nib with a tiny ball bearing. This ball would pick up ink from a cartridge and deposit it on paper as it rolled.
László Bíró first exhibited his invention on the Budapest World Fair in 1931. He later patented the ballpoint pen in Hungary in 1938 after which in Argentina in 1943.
Bíró’s invention revolutionized writing. The ballpoint pen, often called a “biro” in many countries, offered several advantages over fountain pens:
The first commercial models of Bíró’s pen were sold in Argentina under the name “Birome,” a blend of the inventors’ names (Bíró and Meyne).
In 1943, Biro and his brother fled Nazi persecution and settled in Argentina at the invitation of President Augustin Justo. There they founded Biro Pens, an Argentinian company that successfully developed ballpoint pens.
In addition to ball point pens, Biro also developed “automatic gear boxes” for cars, which he sold to General Motors. To prove its reliability, he rode a motorcycle fitted with his gearbox on a 700-mile journey to Berlin.
László Jozsef Biro died on October 24, 1985, at the age of 86 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Biro’s legacy lives on not only in the millions of ball pens used around the world but also in the celebration of Inventor’s Day in Argentina, celebrated on his birthday, September 29th.
Laszlo Biro
László Bíró
Male
Natural causes
Budapest, Hungary
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Debater: Smart and curious thinkers who cannot resist an intellectual challenge. Known for his creativity, practical problem-solving, and passion for innovation. Bíró displayed the curiosity, adaptability, and forward-thinking.
Argentina celebrates “Inventor’s Day” on September 29 in honor of Bíró’s birthday
Bíró’s first job was as a journalist, which inspired him to develop the ballpoint pen
He moved to Argentina in 1943, where he continued to work on his inventions
The “biro” pen became widely popular after WWII
“Biro” is now a generic term for ballpoint pens in many languages
Created a pen that could write at high altitudes, used extensively by Allied pilots during WWII
His invention led to the widespread use of ballpoint pens in everyday writing
Invented and patented the first successful ballpoint pen in 1938