Bakelite was created during shellac experiments.

Leo Baekeland discovered Bakelite while trying to create a synthetic shellac. This accident created the first fully synthetic plastic.

The gas laws were discovered through champagne bottle explosions.

In the 17th century, Dom Pérignon noticed that champagne bottles exploded more frequently in warm weather. This led...

Édouard Bénédictus discovered safety glass when a cellulose-nitrate-coated flask shattered but held its shape. This led to modern...

The Kellogg brothers accidentally left cooked wheat out overnight. When processed, it created wheat flakes, leading to the...