Inventions that were discovered by accident
The top 3 according to 0 votes from people: Penicillin · The microwave oven · Post-it notes. (Updated Jul 2, 2026.)
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?
Automatically translated (original in Italiano). See the original
Top 12
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1
Penicillin
In 1928 Fleming found a mould killing bacteria in a forgotten dish.
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2
The microwave oven
In 1945 a chocolate bar melted in Percy Spencer's pocket near a magnetron.
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3
Post-it notes
A too-weak glue from 1968 became the note you can peel off and stick again.
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4
Velcro
Georges de Mestral copied the burrs that stuck to his dog's fur.
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5
Matches
In 1826 John Walker saw a stick coated in chemicals catch fire.
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6
Chocolate chip cookies
Ruth Wakefield hoped the chocolate would melt into the dough.
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7
Corn flakes
The Kellogg brothers left some cooked wheat out too long.
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8
Silly Putty
It came out of the search for synthetic rubber during the war.
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9
Saccharin
In 1879 Constantin Fahlberg noticed his hands tasted sweet.
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10
The Slinky
Richard James dropped a spring that started to "walk".
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11
Bubble wrap
In 1957 it was meant to be textured wallpaper.
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12
Viagra
It was a heart drug; its side effects changed Pfizer's plans.
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