The Filipino Genius Who Invented FaceTime Before Steve Jobs: Meet Gregorio Zara

Written By Niko Del Rey

If there’s one name that should be in the global tech hall of fame but somehow isn’t, it’s Gregorio Zara. A Filipino scientist, engineer, and overachiever in every sense of the word, Zara was basically the OG tech disruptor before Silicon Valley was even a thing.

Never heard of him? That’s the problem.

This guy had 30+ patents and made groundbreaking innovations in aviation, solar energy, and even FaceTime-worthy technology—and yet, he remains criminally underrated. But today, we’re fixing that.

Born on March 8, 1902, in Lipa City, Batangas, Gregorio Zara was built different from the start. He didn’t just collect degrees—he dominated academia like a boss.

• MIT? ✅ Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering

• University of Michigan? ✅ Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering (Summa Cum Laude)

• Sorbonne University in Paris? ✅ Doctorate in Physics (Summa Cum Laude, with Très Honorable—the highest possible honor)

After making the Ivy League his playground, Zara could have stayed abroad and flexed his genius elsewhere. Instead, he came home to the Philippines and juggled roles in government, academia, and scientific research. He taught aeronautics at major universities while working with the Department of Public Works and Communications and the Department of National Defense, proving that his brainpower had real-world impact.

Oh, and in 1934, he married a literal queen, Miss Philippines 1933, Engracia Arcinas Laconico. Just another flex.

The Zara Effect: Aviation, Solar Energy, and FaceTime (Before FaceTime)

Now, let’s talk about his actual inventions, because this is where Zara shattered the limits of innovation.

🔬 1930: The Zara Effect

At just 28 years old, Zara discovered the physical law of electrical kinetic resistance, now known as the Zara Effect. If that sounds complicated, here’s the takeaway: his discovery changed how we understand electricity in motion.

✈️ 1930s-1950s: Aviation’s Secret Weapon

Zara was obsessed with flight before it was cool. He invented the Earth Induction Compass, which pilots still use today. And in 1954, his alcohol-powered airplane engine actually took off at Ninoy Aquino Airport.

📹 1955: The First Video Phone (Ahem, FaceTime)

This is where it gets wild.

In the 1950s—decades before Apple and Zoom—Zara created the first-ever two-way television-telephone. Science fiction? Nope. Science fact. He patented the technology in 1955 under the name "photo phone signal separator network."

So, the next time you’re on a FaceTime call, just remember: Gregorio Zara did it first.

More Zara Inventions That Deserve Hype

As if changing aviation and inventing FaceTime weren’t enough, Zara kept innovating. Here are just a few of his other mind-blowing creations:

• Solar energy innovations (1960s): He developed new ways to harness solar power, including a solar-powered water heater, stove, and battery.

• Wooden aircraft propellers (1952): And he designed a propeller-cutting machine to go with them.

• Collapsible-stage microscope: A game-changer for researchers.

• Marex X-10 Robot: This robot could walk, talk, and respond to commands (so yeah, he was working on AI before AI was a thing).

• The Vapor Chamber: A crucial tool for visualizing radioactive elements.

Although Zara died of heart failure at the age of 76 in 1978, in addition to his 30 patents and discovery of physical laws, his list of accolades are a true testament to the impact Zara had on the scientific world: 

• The National Scientist Award, the highest honor the Philippine government gives to Filipino scientists, by President Ferdinand E. Marcos

• The Presidential Diploma of Merit

• The Distinguished Service Medal (1959) for his pioneering works and achievements in solar energy research, aeronautics, and television

• The Presidential Gold Medal and Diploma of Honor for Science and Research (1966)

• The Cultural Heritage Award for Science Education and Aero Engineering (1966)

It’s wild that more people don’t know about Zara, especially when his contributions literally shaped modern technology. Whether it’s video calls, aviation tech, solar energy, or AI-powered robots, Zara was always ahead of his time.

So let’s fix that.

The next time you hop on FaceTime, Zoom, or stream anything online, remember: a Filipino scientist paved the way. And Gregorio Zara deserves his place in history.

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Written By Niko Del Rey

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