History's Happiest Accidents

Good morning, and welcome!

One of my favorite Bob Ross quotes is “There are no mistakes, just happy little accidents.” It sums up everything I’ve ever heard about accidental inventions: fantastical tales of everymen who just happen to stumble upon something brilliant that goes on to take the world by storm. It’s the ultimate get-rich-quick scheme, infuriatingly exclusive to those who aren’t looking for it.

Since it’s nice to dream, I started wondering about the lucky ones who were able to succeed in this tricky field. Who were they, and how much of our everyday life originated from their people’s mistakes? It’s not hard to imagine some long-dead inventor wailing with laughter each time they saw a commercial worshipping their own accidental invention, but were these people even out to create at all?

With this (and a tad bit of good-old-fashioned research) in mind, I can confirm only one thing that each of these happy accidents have in common: a quirky, discombobulating ride of a story with an equally interesting cast of characters. Not all of them have fairytale endings where the unsuspecting geniuses are concerned, yet the product invariably survives in spite of all obstacles in its way. The stories of these people and their products tell the tales of those unique individuals in history who carried an affinity for having absolutely no idea what they were getting into until they were too far gone. And I have to say, there’s a lot to admire if you look closely at all the outlandish things that happened on the way there.

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Happy Accident #1: Synthetic Dye

(Photo "File:Perkin Research Medal 1906 Inno-Days-061.JPG" by Conrad Erb is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 )

Today, we see colorful fabric everywhere: bedspreads, clothing, curtains, even stuffed animals, and believe it or not, we owe it all to a teenager from London. As malaria became a common illness among British colonists in tropical areas, many chemists and doctors were racing to discover an artificial remedy to replace the rarer natural alternative of quinine, a compound which could only be found in the bark of the cinchona tree, before too many people were lost. In 1856, this was exactly what 18-year-old William Perkin was trying to do when he accidentally produced the first synthetic dye. His hope was to produce an adequate substitute for quinine through the oxidation of a compound known as aniline. Unfortunately, it was a failure - but as Perkin attempted to clean out his beakers for yet another trial, he noticed something interesting. The substance he had mistakenly produced had a remarkably bright purple hue and was able to permanently dye silk. Unlike the natural dyes of the day, this new substance, called mauveine or simply “mauve”, was just as affordable and efficient as it was beautiful. Perkin immediately invested in a factory that produced mauve-colored garments. It is said that Empress Eugenie of France grew fond of the color, and her breathtaking mauve clothing set a trend throughout Europe. While he hadn’t been able to contribute to the fight against malaria, Perkin had accidentally introduced the world to a new age of fashion, where color was no longer reserved for the rich.

For more info on Perkin and mauveine, read this article by the Science and Industry Museum: https://blog.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/worlds-first-synthetic-dye/

Happy Accident #2: Penicillin

(Photo "Penicillin Production" by The Florey is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

While it may not be exactly comforting to note that one of the most influential discoveries in modern medicine was a complete accident, well… you get where I’m going with this. It was the first of many antibiotic disease treatments to be discovered in the 20th century. These antibiotics, which are still used today, contain compounds that are able to suppress microbial species that cause illness within the human body. Penicillin was first noticed by Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming in 1928 during a study of a bacteria that often results in a sore throat, boils, or skin infection. Upon close examination of a Petri dish containing a small amount of mold, Fleming realized that the area around the mold was completely free of bacteria. This mold belonged to the Penicillium genus, ergo its later classification as Penicillin. From the Petri dish, he was able to extract what was essentially “mold juice” and test its reactions to other species of bacteria. It was found to inhibit a wide variety of bacteria. With these findings, Fleming sent the mold to every medical professional he knew, urging them to examine it as he did. Thanks to Fleming’s mishap, Penicillin acted as the foundation for modern antibiotics and saved countless lives across multiple generations. Nothing like a little mold juice to brighten your day.

For more info on Fleming, check out this article by the Science History Institute: https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/alexander-fleming

Happy Accident #3: Safety Pin

(Photo "Safety First" by VickyTH is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 )

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and the origin story of the safety pin just might prove this theory. In 1849, Walter Hunt was in debt, owing a grand total of 15 dollars to another man, or 500 dollars in today’s money. Historically speaking, Hunt was never very good with money. As an inventor who is credited with producing his own unique knife sharpener, fountain pen, and the modern sewing machine, he seemed to genuinely enjoy the creativity in his work, but fell short when it came to business and marketing skills. And so, as he sat at his desk, pondering how he was going to get the money he needed and absently fingering a discarded piece of wire, the safety pin was born. Hunt discovered that by bending a loop into the wire, he could create a sort of spring mechanism that could be held in place by a clasp. This was a vast improvement upon the brooches of the day, but Howe thought only of paying off his debt. He sold the idea for 400 dollars, which, although this was just shy of 15 grand according to my inflation calculator, was still a ridiculously unfair deal considering he could have received a royalty with every safety pin that has ever been used. Nonetheless, you can’t help but admire the genius of a man who is able to produce one of the most common household items by the sheer force of his own financial concerns.

Still curious? I’ve got some more info, er, pinned down right here (thanks, HowStuffWorks): https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/who-invented-the-safety-pin.htm

Happy Accident #4: Microwave

(Photo "amazing microwave" by jmv is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 )

My dearest friend in the kitchen appliance world was happened upon by engineer Percy Spencer in 1945. At the time, Spencer was actually testing magnetrons: vacuum tubes inside radars that produce electromagnetic radio waves. For some reason, he brought along a peanut butter candy bar in his pocket one day when working with the magnetrons that produced microwaves. Unsurprisingly, it was mush in no time, and I can’t imagine that putting his hand in his pocket only to discover a warm, wet candy bar would have been a very pleasant experience. Nonetheless, this unusual byproduct intrigued Spencer. He subsequently tried cooking popcorn (successful) and an egg (slightly less so) using the microwaves, and found that reactions occurred in a startlingly short period of time. The discovery of a device that could cook food in minutes was a revolutionary, and highly marketable, enterprise, and Spencer patented the appliance in no time. Unfortunately, it was not an immediate success. People went so far as to fear the device, and, standing at about six feet tall and weighing over 700 pounds, I can’t say I blame them. Additionally, it cost over 20,000 dollars in today’s money. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the microwave was established as a necessity in the home thanks to a smaller, countertop version of the appliance and slightly more knowledge concerning the technology it used.

For more on Spencer’s invention of the microwave, here’s Business Insider’s take on what happened that day: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-microwave-oven-was-invented-by-accident-2015-4

Happy Accident #5: Playdough 

(Photo "Play-Doh + fybeca + Pto.99 + Matur" by Matur foto is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 )

Parents with multicolored hard patches in their formerly clean carpet have Joseph McVicker and family to thank for the accidental invention of this popular - and messy - children’s toy. McVicker helped run the wallpaper cleaner manufacturer Kutol Products, which sold a soft putty meant for keeping wallpaper clean in spite of soot from coal stoves. However, midway through the 20th century the general population began to search for alternative means of heating the home using oil, gas, or electricity. With coal stoves in decline, there was no need for Kutol’s putty, so the company was in jeopardy during the time of McVicker. While he struggled to improve the dire situation, his sister-in-law Kay Zufall had other ideas for the future of the company. She brought the putty to the nursery school in which she worked and allowed the kids to play with it. Her students loved the squishy, pliable texture of the product and had a grand old time molding it into different shapes. After Zufall reported her discovery to McVicker, he promptly began marketing the putty as Play-Doh, which could soon be found in more toy stores than utility closets. Thanks to Zufall’s creative thinking, Kutol Products was saved, and everyone - except maybe a few exasperated parents - lived happily ever after.

For more info on the invention of Play-Doh, check out this article by the Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/accidental-invention-play-doh-180973527/

Happy Accident #6: Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Photo "Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies" by EvilShenanigans is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )

In my experiences, a woman in need of chocolate is an unstoppable force of nature, and Ruth Wakefield did nothing to disprove this theory. As she was attempting to bake a dessert known as Chocolate Butter Drop Do cookies one evening, she noticed that she had run out of baking chocolate. As a well-known dessert chef at the Toll House Inn, this was an alarming discovery. She had guests in the inn waiting to be served this dessert. She decided to use a chopped-up block of Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate in her cookies instead. Her hope was that the semi-sweet chocolate, like baking chocolate, would disperse among the cookie as it baked, giving it the taste of a chocolate flavored wafer. Instead, the semi-sweet chocolate simply melted in place, and the first batch of chocolate chip cookies were taken out of the oven by a very disappointed baker. To her surprise, however, these “Chocolate Crunch” cookies were a huge success. In the next 6 years, Wakefield’s chocolate chip cookie recipe would be published in countless newspapers, listed in her own cookbook, and featured on the radio. When Andrew Nestlé became aware of the popularity of Wakefield’s cookies, he offered to partner with her. He created a product specially made for her cookies: the chocolate chip. In return, Wakefield received a lifetime’s supply of Nestlé chocolate - as in, whatever she needed, whenever she needed it. How’s that for an incentive to make mistakes?

Still hungry? Give The New Yorker’s article on the history of the chocolate chip cookie a try: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/sweet-morsels-a-history-of-the-chocolate-chip-cookie

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So there you have it: teenaged Perkin, curious Fleming, contemplative Hunt, hungry Spencer, adaptable McVicker, and desperate Wakefield. Their ingenuity and willingness to think outside the box made history in some of the most unexpected ways. It reminds me of the way my mom used to respond when the automatic lights in her office used to switch off after a while. Since they were motion-activated, she usually had to get up and move around a little to force them back on. However, when she was in the middle of an important job, she took to throwing her stash of pens and markers across the room as an easier alternative to leaving her desk. After a few shots, the writing utensils would trip the motion sensors and reactivate the lights. It’s no wonder a multitude of pens always littered her floor at the end of a workday. While I admit that this particular invention may not make it into the history books, it is still one of my favorite memories about my mom at work.

I think that’s why people are drawn to these accidental inventions: they make the best out of situations that go awry. Without Percy Spencer’s positive, can-do attitude when he put his hand in his pocket to find a squishy wet candy bar, I would have to actually work to cook dinner. Ruth Wakefield’s ability to roll with the punches not only gave us a delicious dessert, it also introduced chocolate chips to the baking community. I guess there’s a lesson in their actions: you can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond to it. And so, in conclusion, this morning I dare you to make the best out of whatever life throws your way. Who knows? With enough creativity and dedication, you may just make history.