10 Accidental Innovations That Changed the World

Some of these inventions we use every day. We can’t believe these were invented by accident!

6) Post-It Notes

Via/ Flickr

These colorful, can’t-do-without sticky notes were a collaboration between two two 3M employees back in the late 1960s. Spencer Silver accidentally created the versatile adhesive, and Art Fry came up with the idea of using it on small, bookmark-like slips of paper. Can you even imagine what the office would be like without these handy scraps?

7) Saccharin

Via/ Flickr

Constantin Fahlberg, a chemist at Johns Hopkins University, forgot to wash his hands before lunch one day. He was surprised to find that the chemicals on his hands gave his food an unusually sweet flavor, and he soon patented the formula for the first artificial sweetener.

8) Ice Cream Cones

Via/ Library of Congress

This summer-day essential first appeared at the World’s Fair in 1904 when an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes. He paired up with a nearby waffle shop and served ice cream on top of rolled waffles, creating the world’s first-ever ice cream cone.

9) The Color Mauve

Via/ Flickr

William Perkin was only 18 when he discovered the color mauve in 1856. The young chemist was searching for a cure for malaria when he stumbled upon this eye-catching hue and created the world’s first synthetic dye.

10) Cornflakes

Via/ Flickr

The first batch of cornflakes were the result of a young Will Keith Kellogg’s forgetfulness. He left bread dough sitting out too long as he helped his brother prepare meals at a local medical facility. Out of curiosity, he baked the dough, and light and crunchy cornflakes were born.

Check out these wacky inventions that never quite took off.

Subscribe to Dusty Old Thing