Inventions are frequently the result of a need. But there are certain inventions that happen by chance, and they are usually the ones that change the world forever. They came into being as a result of a lucky accident, yet their very existence makes life easier for so many individuals.
You’ll be surprised to learn in this article that many of the things we can’t live without in our daily lives are simply accidents!
Brandy
To make shipping wine easier, a Dutch shipmaster heated the wine to extract the alcohol. He’d then dilute it with water to make it wine again. However, because the taste and composition had changed, he opted to keep it concentrated and not add any water. This was dubbed “burnt wine” or “Brandy.”
Coca Cola
For headaches and nervous disroders, John Pemberton intended to create a French wine coca combination. When alcohol was outlawed in Atlanta, he substituted a coca-based syrup for wine and fizzy water. He advertised this combination as a cure-all for headaches and weariness.
When John and Will Kellog left a pot of boiling corns on the stove for several days, they invented cornflakes by accident.
Ink-Jet Printers
Due to strong pressure, a Canon engineer mistakenly left a hot iron on his ink pen, which began spilling ink from his pot. Ink-Jet printers were born as a result of this.
LSD
While working on Sandoz Company, Dr. Albert Hofmann accidentally created LSD-25, which he absorbed into his skin through his hands. That’s how I discovered the pleasures of LSD.
Matchsticks
John Walker, a British chemist, spotted some sparks as he scratched a chemical-coated stick on his hearth. That’s when the idea to make matchsticks came to him.
Microwave
Percy Spencer was researching microwave generating magnetrons in 1945 when the chocolate bar in his pocket began to melt. He then came up with the notion of heating and cooking meals in the microwave.
Non-Stick Pans
Chemist Roy Plunkett was working on a new type of chlorfluorocarbon when he accidentally created a non-stick lubricant that is now used in Teflon.
Potato Chips
A disgruntled cook was the one who invented potato chips. When a customer complained that his fried potatoes were too “soggy” in a New York restaurant in 1853, the enraged cook thinly sliced the potatoes and sprinkled them with salt. It was a huge success!
Post-It Notes
Spencer Silver, a researcher at 3M laboratories, set out to create a very strong adhesive but ended up creating one that was weaker than the ones already on the market. It can be easily peeled off and re-stuck. Another scientist, Art Fry, used this adhesive to make the Post-It bookmarks we know today.
Penicillin
Sir Alexander Fleming accidently invented the powerful antibiotic that saved so many lives in 1928. He accidentally left a Staphylococcus aureus culture in the lab for two weeks and discovered that it had failed to grow due to a mold called Penicillium Notatum.
Safety Glass
Sir Alexander Fleming accidently invented the powerful antibiotic that saved so many lives in 1928. He accidentally left a Staphylococcus aureus culture in the lab for two weeks and discovered that it had failed to grow due to a mold called Penicillium Notatum.
Slinky
Despite the fact that this toy has no genuine purpose, it is a source of enjoyment for some. Richard James, a naval engineer, was working on a spring for delicate shipboard equipment. When this spring dropped off by accident, it continued to move and leap. This inspired him to make a toy, which he named after his wife Betty.
Viagra
Pfizer created the sildenafil ingredient in Viagra to treat hypertension and angina pectoris. However, during studies, it was discovered that the medicine caused erections, and this is how Viagra was discovered.
X-Ray
Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen, a physics professor, was working on a CRT in his lab. He discovered that the tube was radiating a fluorescent light after shielding it with a thick piece of paper. He discovered that the tube was emitting a new sort of radiation that became known as X-Ray.
