Accident or Amazing

Life is full of interesting discoveries. From simple things to the greatest inventions, a lot of useful things were created during accidental circumstances. A failed recipe, a broken tool, a misdiagnosis, a wrong turn. We have been programmed to think a mistake is something negative or wrong. There have been endless amazing inventions that began as something else and through a failure or simple error became something entirely different.

We all know the obvious ones like Benjamin Franklin and the Kite experiment. People think he discovered electricity. He was using a kite during a thunderstorm to demonstrate the electrical nature of lightning. It has been a myth that he discovered electricity that day, or at all. The fact is electrical forces had been recognized for more than a thousand years. Another myth was that his Kite was struck by lightning. Experts say he would have been electrocuted. The myth was that he was struck by lightning and accidentally discovered electricity. What really happened was that his kite picked up the ambient electrical charge from the storm. He did continue to work with electricity and went on to perfect his invention of the lightning rod.

Some inventors work their entire lives trying to create something that would change our world or make a brilliant difference. Others stumble across things by luck.

One example of this is the invention of Play-Doh. It was originally being created as a cleaning product from a soap manufacturer. His sister, who was a school teacher ended up using it in her classroom as a modeling clay and that was the beginning of the children's toy.

The invention of a very simple cool treat, the popsicle was also discovered by accident. A boy was using a stick to stir powdered soda and water in a cup. He went inside for the night, leaving the cup out in the cold. In the morning he came out to a sweet icicle on a stick. He made them for his friends and later after having children of his own, he made it for them. They called it Pop’s icicle and after being patented the Popsicle was properly named.

Another popular invention that we know to have been an accident was the discovery of Penicillin which was discovered by mold growing on a culture dish. After initially being considered a sloppy lab technician, Alexander Fleming realized that the mold had prevented the bacteria from growing in the specimen plate. Eventually this seemingly careless mistake revolutionized medicine by creating the first antibiotic which is still the most used antibiotic to date.

From the most simple, accidental inventions like Play-Doh or popsicles, to life changing medications and technology. The smallest conveniences like matchsticks, safety glass, Velcro and superglue were all accidental inventions and discoveries. While fireworks and potato chips aren’t exactly life changing or modern conveniences they were invented accidentally nonetheless. As well as Coca-Cola, Corn Flakes and Tea Bags.

Imagine a world without these items and wonder what they were supposed to be instead. Some say good luck, others call it a mistake. Regardless of the intended outcome, where would we be if these scientists, inventors or researchers had simply thrown out what they thought was a ruined product or experiment? Penicillin has saved millions of lives and popsicles are not only a sweet cold treat on a hot day but have also soothed sore throats and helped ease fevers and symptoms when we are sick.

The next time you do something as insignificant as strike a match or Velcro a strap imagine what those things were originally intended to do. Everything from artificial sweeteners to life saving devices may have never existed if we simply threw them out due to human error or an unexpected outcome.