Inventions by Mistake -

Inventions that were made by Mistake

by Bob Massey

Is a coincidence the same as by accident? Or is an accident a coincidence waiting to happen? I ask this because I found this talk by accident or was it a coincidence? Discovery however is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind. Therefore I now think I have my answer.

So many of the everyday items we take for granted came about this way. The list is exhaustive. From matches, potato crisps, Coca Cola, chocolate chip biscuits, cornflakes, ice cream cones and tea bags to microwave ovens and medical discoveries like implantable pacemakers, antibiotics, penicillin and x-rays. We learnt also about ink jet printers and post it notes to various toys, gunpowder, dynamite and velcro. Not forgetting superglue, teflon, safety glass, vulcanised rubber, plastics and cellophane. There’s probably lots more we haven’t covered but there’s plenty to be going on with.