Surprising inventions created by accident

Nov 1, 2024

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Penicillin

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by accident in 1928. He noticed that mold had contaminated his petri dishes and killed surrounding bacteria.

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Mircrowave oven

Percy Spencer, an engineer, discovered that microwaves could cook food when he noticed a candy bar melted in his pocket while working on radar technology during World War II.

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Coca-Cola

John Pemberton originally created Coca-Cola as a medicinal tonic in 1886, but it became popular as a refreshing beverage instead.

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X-rays

X-rays were discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen in 1895 while he was experimenting with cathode rays and noticed a glowing screen that was not connected to the experiment.

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Teflon

Roy Plunkett discovered Teflon in 1938 when he was attempting to create a new refrigerant and found that a gas sample had polymerized into a white, waxy solid.

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Anesthesia

The use of ether as an anesthetic was discovered by accident in 1842 when dentist Crawford Long used it during a surgery but did not initially realize its potential for pain relief in surgical procedures.

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LSD

LSD was accidentally discovered by Albert Hofmann in 1938 while researching ergot. He later experienced its effects after absorbing a small amount, leading to the first recorded psychedelic experience in 1943.

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Viagra

Viagra was initially developed by Pfizer for angina. During trials, researchers noted it caused erections, leading to its reclassification for treating erectile dysfunction and approval in 1998.

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Dynamite

Dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1867. He discovered that stabilizing nitroglycerin with an inert absorbent material made it safer to handle, leading to its use in construction and demolition.

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