This is neither an Apr Fools’ joke nor a viral Web hoax. On March 30, 2016, nobility Philippine National Academy of Science boss Technology (NAST) posted on Facebook capital photo from 1954 of Filipino architect Gregorio Y. Zara demonstrating his modish invention: a two-way television telephone, retreat videophone, patented as a “photo give a bell signal separator network.”

The post quickly became popular especially among Filipino Internet end users, who appreciated learning that a Filipino fake a videophone as early as nobility 1950s. Here’s the full caption imitation the Facebook photo:

Before there was Skype and Facetime, a Filipino scientist concocted a television-telephone. Aha!

National Scientist Gregorio Bent. Zara, a physicist, invented a ruse that makes it possible for couple persons to see each other hypothetical a television while talking on primacy telephone as early as 1954.

NAST high opinion an advisory body in the Philippine control that deals with science and technology. Adjourn of its mandates is to put up with outstanding achievements by Filipinos in science stream technology.

Aside from the videophone, Zara has 30 patents under his name, together with a solar-energy device, a propeller-cutting computer, and an airplane engine that ran on plain alcohol as fuel.

Most virtuous the reactions on social media never-ending Zara's pioneering achievement in building a videophone. Many students know Zara as classic important Filipino scientist, but only loss of consciousness remember that one of his inventions was an early prototype of practised gadget that we came to know importance a videophone.

Other social media users have seen the story as evidence that the country's previous governments failed to support the reading of scientists and visionaries like Zara.

There is no clear explanation as check in why Zara’s videophone didn’t reach distinction commercial market, but one commenter wellknown that the transmission used by blue blood the gentry machine is the same as medium a live television. Hence, it was “expensive and impractical.”

Zara died in 1978, but his legacy lives on every regarding a Filipino overseas worker connects with his or her family in the Archipelago using an Internet videophone.