Accidents are sometimes good
Inventions are all around us,but there are some significant inventions,that have a peculiar origin.And what most of these inventions have in common is accidental observation.We are talking about thinking out of the box,thinking creatively.#We have many inventions that are just the product of extraordinary thinking or in simple verse, creative thinking.Accidents and peculiar situations happens to us a lot of times, but it's in our understanding of those,that makes us different.
Let's cut to the chase (get right to the point).This article will provide you with the origin of invention of some Inventions.
The all mighty and powerful 'Fire' is assumed to be and accident.Theories say,when our ancestors were making tools out of stones, the spark from hitting two stone together,made fire.yet some other theories suggest man made fire accidentally by the friction of wood.Whatever it is, the invention of fire has substantial effect on the development of humans.This is one of the early inventions that resulted from accidental observation.
In 1928,A British bacteriologist, was studying about a bacteria,in one of his bacteria culture plates he found that mold destroyed the bacterias in the dish.This accidental observation led to the discovery of penicillin.And most of us know the name -Sir Alexander Fleming.The observation that he made,later led to the developments of antibiotics like penicillin.This led to the reception of Nobel prize!.But the most important part is how an unintended even is made use of in creative and useful way.
We all use telephones at home,but did you know that an accidental observation led to the invention of the first telephone?.Graham bell, a teacher of phonology, helped people with disability to speak.He was experimenting with a device that would eventually become a telegraph,but to his astonishment, Alexander Graham Bell noticed that the device carried his voice and transmitted to the other end where his assistant was standing.He did not intend to make a telephone,but the accident turned out to be useful.his expertise in the area of understanding sounds and voice,led to further improvements in the telephone.
Percy L. Spencer a technician at the Raytheon company, was experimenting with a magnetron(a source of microwaves).When he was near the magnetron,doing the experiments, he noticed that the chocolate in his pocket melted!.He was surprised and put the microwaves to test by putting a pack of popcorn near the magnetron,to his astonishment,they popped!!.This led to the revolutionary discovery that microwaves can produce heat and can be used for cooking purposes.He was experimenting on a device for a radar system, but the accidental observation he made led to the invention of Microwave ovens.
A Dutch spectacle maker,Hans Lippershey was doing his business of fabricating spectacles for his customers but one day he discovered that when he viewed a distant object through concave and convex lens held in front of the eye.He then put the two lens in a tube, and the first telescope was invented.Not only scientists but common individuals have their Eureka! moments.
Speaking of eureka!, we know how the principle of buoyancy or as it is famously said-The principle of Archimedes.When he stepped into his bath tub,he saw the water spilling out of it,that is when he said Eureka! a famous quote.This persuaded him to state his principle of buoyancy.
A man sitting under an apple tree, an apple fell on his head accidentally that led to his revolutionary theory on gravitational force.Yeah that was Sir Isaac Newton.
Colombus set out to find a direct route from Europe to Asia, but he accidentally landed on America, Discovering the continent of America!.
The stumbling toy - Slinky was an accidental discovery too.It was invented when James was trying to invent a spring that could be used for measuring horse power,he accidentally knocked over a spring,he saw the spring stumble upon itself from steps.This led to the development of the toy.Other toys that were accidentally invented are play - Dough,Silly putty,etc.,
A man named John walker,a pharmacist was trying to mix Potassium chloride and antimony sulphide using a mixing stick,but the mixture got stuck to the stick, so he tried to remove it bu rubbing it against the floor,presto! it caught fire and first matchsticks were invented.
In the late 1960s, A man named Spencer Silver was trying to invent a super glue, but ended with an opposite, a less sticky glue, that would hold only a very light object like a paper.It was a failure, but it was converted into success when a colleague Art Fry used that glue to stick some notes on his desk.This led to the invention of post it notes!.
Have you heard the name Tim Berners-Lee(Timothy John,Berners-Lee).If you haven't, then make sure you remember his name well, because he invented the world wide web,he is reason why you are able to be sit at your home and read this article.
He was born in 1955, a British computer scientist who intended a way to share information with fellow physicist, he developed it as a tool to share information,but it soon turned out to be the invention of the millennium.
Tim was enlisted in the Time magazine's ' 100 persons of the century' in 1999.His research in the telecommunications area led to a revolution,what he intended to be a personal tool, turned out to be one of the biggest invention of human kind.He called his version of the tool as Enquire.His stroke of genius,made a difference.
There is a saying " invention is the way mind seizes upon an inconspicuous observation", this is very much true.So next time you think something bad has happened to you, think with a positive attitude and try to convert your failures into success.
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