Ten Inventions Created By Accident

In 1928, Alexander Fleming, a Scottish scientist, accidentally left a petri dish containing Staphylococcus bacteria uncovered. Upon returning from vacation, he found that mold had grown on the dish, killing the bacteria. This chance encounter led to the discovery of penicillin, the world's first antibiotic.

In 1945, Percy Spencer, an engineer working on radar technology, noticed that a candy bar in his pocket had melted while standing near a magnetron. Curious, he placed popcorn kernels near the magnetron and watched them pop, leading to the invention of the microwave oven.

In 1895, Wilhelm Roentgen, a German physicist, discovered X-rays while experimenting with cathode rays. He noticed that a screen coated with barium platinocyanide emitted light when exposed to cathode rays, leading to the accidental discovery of X-rays.

In 1968, Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M, was trying to develop a strong adhesive but instead created a weak one that could be easily removed. Years later, his colleague, Art Fry, used the adhesive to create the iconic Post-it Notes.

In 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral went for a hike and noticed burrs sticking to his clothes and his dog's fur. Intrigued by the mechanism, he studied the burrs under a microscope and eventually developed Velcro, a hook-and-loop fastening system.

In 1853, chef George Crum accidentally created potato chips at Moon's Lake House in New York. Angry at a customer who complained that his fried potatoes were too thick, Crum sliced the potatoes paper-thin, resulting in the creation of the beloved snack.

In 1938, chemist Roy Plunkett was working on refrigerants when he discovered a white waxy residue in a pressurized gas cylinder. This substance turned out to be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), known as Teflon, a non-stick coating used in cookware.

In 1956, Wilson Greatbatch, an engineer, was working on a heart rhythm recording device when he accidentally installed the wrong resistor, causing the device to emit electrical pulses. This mistake led to the development of the first implantable pacemaker.

In 1943, naval engineer Richard James was working on a device to stabilize ship equipment when he knocked over a spring, watching it walk down a stack of books. Intrigued by the movement, he turned it into the iconic toy known as the Slinky.

In 1839, Charles Goodyear accidentally dropped a mixture of rubber and sulfur on a hot stove, resulting in a durable and elastic material. This chance discovery led to the invention of vulcanized rubber, revolutionizing the rubber industry.