Who invented the ballpoint pen

The idea of using a ball to deliver ink to paper originated in the 19th century. The first patent was received by the American John Loud in 1888. His device used a rotating ball coated with ink, but it was imperfect: the ink sometimes flowed and sometimes did not write. In 1938, the Hungarian journalist László Bíró (in exile in Argentina) jointly with his brother, the chemist György, created a working model. He noticed that newspaper ink dries quickly and does not smear. The brothers used viscous ink and placed the ball in a socket that allowed it to rotate and apply ink evenly. On June 10, 1943 (or June 15 according to other data) they filed a patent, and in 1945 they launched mass production. Argentines call the pen "biro" (from the surname). In England, the ballpoint pen is still sometimes called "biro".

Why June 10

The birthday of the ballpoint pen is considered to be June 10, 1943 — the date of the patent filing by the Bíró brothers in Argentina. It was on this day that a new era of writing began. Although there are disagreements, most sources lean towards this date. In 2026, it will be 83 years since the patent was filed. The celebration is unofficial, but it is marked by stationery manufacturers, pen collectors, and simply lovers of beautiful writing instruments. In schools, "keyboard-free day" is sometimes held, where students are asked to write only with a ballpoint pen. Museums hold exhibitions of old pens.

How the ballpoint pen changed the world

Before its invention, people wrote with feather pens, which required inkwells, blotting paper, and patience. They stained hands and tables. Feather pens were capricious, could leak, and the ink dried slowly. The ballpoint pen was a breakthrough: it did not leak (almost), the ink dried instantly, and it could be written even upside down (by pilots). In 1945, France purchased a license, and production took off. By the 1950s, ballpoint pens had replaced feather pens in mass use. Schools, offices, government agencies switched to the new tool. Writing became easy and accessible. Did it increase literacy? Indirectly — yes, because there was no need to deal with ink.

The evolution of the ballpoint pen

The first models were expensive (about $10 in the 1940s). But competition quickly reduced the price. In the 1950s, the inexpensive one-time-use BIC Cristal appeared, which became a worldwide bestseller (sold over 100 billion pieces!). The BIC pen with a transparent body and hexagonal shape is a design icon, it is located in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Modern ballpoint pens come in different line widths (0.3-1.0 mm), with gel ink, disappearing ink, with a cap or with a sliding mechanism. There are even "eternal pens" (without ink, which write with a pencil lead). But the principle remains the same: the ball rotates and transfers ink.

Interesting facts

The most expensive ballpoint pen is Fulgor Nocturnus ($1.6 million) decorated with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. More than 15 billion ballpoint pens are sold in the world every year (enough to circle the Earth at the equator 100 times). The ball in the pen is made of tungsten carbide — a very hard material. The diameter of the ball is less than a millimeter. In zero gravity, ballpoint pens do not work due to the absence of gravity (the ink does not flow), so astronauts use special pens with pressure or pencils. The record for writing text with one pen is 50 km of continuous line (a standard pen can write 5-10 km). Ballpoint pens can be refilled, although they are often thrown away.

How to celebrate the birthday of the ballpoint pen

The simplest way is to write something by hand with a ballpoint pen. For example, a letter to a friend or a poem. You can organize a calligraphy contest among friends. Or simply buy a new beautiful pen to carry in your pocket (and then boast about it). In schools, you can conduct a lesson where the history of writing is told. For collectors — to look for rare models at flea markets. For those who work in an office — a day without a computer, only paper and a pen. It's fun and unusual. The main thing is not to forget to thank László Bíró for his invention.

Ballpoint pen vs. keyboard

In the 21st century, the ballpoint pen seems to have become obsolete. We print faster than we write. But studies show that handwriting improves memory and stimulates the brain more than typing on a keyboard. Therefore, many psychologists recommend keeping a diary with a ballpoint pen. Moreover, no keyboard can replace the feeling of the ball gliding over paper. Perhaps in the future, the pen will become a niche, but it will not disappear. As long as there are signatures under documents, love notes, and exams, the ballpoint pen will live.

June 10 is an occasion to take out your favorite pen from the drawer. Not a gel pen, not a capillary pen, but the simplest ballpoint pen. Write one word on paper: "Thank you." László Bíró. And to yourself — for remembering how it is done.

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