What is the difference between an invention and a discovery?
In Mississippi, intellectual property law governs invention and discovery. A key difference between an invention and a discovery is how they are created. An invention is the process of creating something new through creative effort, whereas a discovery is the process of finding something that already exists within the environment. Inventions are typically created through the imaginative process of invention and include mechanical devices, scientific theories, and industrial formulas. This means that inventors create something that did not exist before. Since inventors create something when they invent something, they may be able to protect the inventive process and the resulting product with a patent. On the other hand, discoveries occur when something that was already in existence is revealed to the public. This could include the discovery of a new species, a natural resource, or a scientific theory that already existed. This means that discoveries are the result of observation or research, not creative effort. As a result, discoveries cannot usually be protected with a patent because they are not created by an inventor. In Mississippi, intellectual property law comes into play when someone invents something or discovers something. Inventions can be patented to protect the inventive process, while discoveries become part of the public domain and are free to be used by anyone.
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