# Inventions that were discovered by accident

A chocolate bar melting in a pocket, a forgotten mould, an adhesive that didn't stick: inventions born from a mistake or a stroke of luck. Which one surprises you most?

- 0 votes · 12 items
- Jul 2, 2026 · storico
- https://even.best/en/l/2386/inventions-that-were-discovered-by-accident

## Top 12

1. **Penicillin** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — In 1928 Fleming found a mould killing bacteria in a forgotten dish.
2. **The microwave oven** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — In 1945 a chocolate bar melted in Percy Spencer's pocket near a magnetron.
3. **Post-it notes** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — A too-weak glue from 1968 became the note you can peel off and stick again.
4. **Velcro** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Georges de Mestral copied the burrs that stuck to his dog's fur.
5. **Matches** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — In 1826 John Walker saw a stick coated in chemicals catch fire.
6. **Chocolate chip cookies** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Ruth Wakefield hoped the chocolate would melt into the dough.
7. **Corn flakes** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The Kellogg brothers left some cooked wheat out too long.
8. **Silly Putty** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — It came out of the search for synthetic rubber during the war.
9. **Saccharin** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — In 1879 Constantin Fahlberg noticed his hands tasted sweet.
10. **The Slinky** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Richard James dropped a spring that started to "walk".
11. **Bubble wrap** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — In 1957 it was meant to be textured wallpaper.
12. **Viagra** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — It was a heart drug; its side effects changed Pfizer's plans.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.