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The Power of Accidental Discoveries

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the eureka dept.

schmiddy writes "An article from Wired mentions the surprising number of discoveries that have been made entirely by accident. In an older article, The Discovery Channel's site points out a different subset of inventions that happened by accident. A much older article from PBS goes into more depth on the subject of accidental discoveries, and gives a great quote from physicist Joseph Henry: 'The seeds of great discoveries are constantly floating around us, but they only take root in minds well prepared to receive them.'"

9 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Recipes by michaelhood · · Score: 5, Funny

    Most of the best food combinations were discovered by accident too..

    mmm.. peanut butter & bananas.

  2. Re:Number 10: Potato Chips by Firehed · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sheer irony that their inventor was named Crum. You can't eat just one, but you never seem to be able to eat the whole thing either. How cruel.

    --
    How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
  3. A fascinating quote by DerekLyons · · Score: 5, Funny

    A quote I once heard; Most scientific discoveries don't start with 'eureka', they start from 'hmm... thats odd'.

  4. Re:LSD by firemangreg · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, it wasn't forgotten, it was in the first article. Oh wait, I read the article, I must be new here.

  5. Or Reeses? by Scarletdown · · Score: 3, Funny

    A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...

    Scene : Death Star Troops' day room as they are approaching Yavin.

    TIE Fighter pilot-1 : Mmmmm... Chocolate.
    TIE Fighter pilot-2 : Mmmmm... Peanut butter

    Pilot-1 bumps into Pilot-2

    Pilot-2 : Hey! You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!
    Pilot-1 : You got your peanut butter on my chocolate!

    Both taste the new combo. "It's delicious!"

    Pilot-1 : You know who would like this? Governor Tarkin.
    Pilot-2 : Yeah. He likes chocolate, and he likes peanut butter.
    Pilot-1 : Let's bring him some.

    Alarm klaxons go off and all fighter pilots are ordered to their ships.

    Pilot-2 : As soon as the battle's over.

    And so the galaxy would have to wait...

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  6. Best quote by lunartik · · Score: 4, Funny

    We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents.

    - Bob Ross

  7. Gaunch by MarkRose · · Score: 4, Funny

    My guess is that the first accident induced invention was underwear.

    --
    Be relentless!
  8. Perspectives by ScrewMaster · · Score: 3, Funny

    Scientist: "The power of accidental discoveries."

    Creationist: "The power of the Dark Side."

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  9. Re:Asimov quote by pedalman · · Score: 3, Funny
    The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not Eureka! (I found it!) but 'That's funny...
    I must be in the wrong discipline. My discoveries are usually prefaced by, "Awwww, shit!!!!!!"
    --
    Friends don't let friends line-dance.