Serendipitous discoveries that changed history

There have been many discoveries made without the person intending to discover a particular utility, product, or element. Below, we share some of the most surprising serendipitous discoveries, which you'll surely recognize.

1. Penicillin

The discovery of penicillin is one of the most significant in medicine, as it marked the appearance and use of the first antibiotic.

In 1928, Alexander Fleming observed that a patch of mold had grown on some bacterial plates he was studying, around which he saw a lighter area appear. He concluded that this mold was capable of killing and destroying harmful bacteria.

2. X-rays

Another important advance in medicine is the discovery of X-rays, which has led to the creation of techniques such as computed tomography, better known as CT.

Its discoverer was physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, who, in 1895, while conducting experiments with electrons in vacuum tubes and an electric generator, observed a beam of light that was capable of passing through matter; this beam would later be known as X-rays..

3. Viagra

How the search for an angina treatment solved the problem of erection in men. In 1998, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer was investigating sildenafil citrate to try to treat angina, but the results were not good. What was observed was that one of the side effects that appeared was that men got an erection and reported that their sex life improved. So, the pharmaceutical company did not miss the opportunity and began treating impotence problems with this new drug, sildenafil citrate, better known as Viagra.

4. Radioactivity

It was Antoine Henri Becquerel who, unintentionally, discovered radioactivity in 1896. The physicist was investigating the fluorescence of the elements uranium and potassium when he noticed that uranium sulfate emitted an unidentified radiation capable of penetrating black paper and other substances that normal light could not.

5. Coca-cola

Coca-Cola was discovered in a pharmaceutical company. In 1886, pharmacist John S. Pemberton, working at Jacobs Pharmaceuticals in Atlanta, was researching a syrup that would improve digestion problems when, upon mixing it with carbonated water, he realized the syrup's exceptional flavor and refreshing qualities.

Thus, it wasn't long before it was commercially available and became one of the most well-known soft drinks.

6. Vulcanized rubber

In early 1839, Charles Goodyear accidentally discovered vulcanized rubber when he dropped a container of sulfur and rubber on a stove. The term vulcanized rubber might make it hard to understand what it was used for; this material is the one used to make tires.

7. Velcro

Velcro was another accidental discovery, this time inspired by nature. Engineer George de Mestral observed how plant seeds stuck to his clothes, his dog's fur, and his hair. Intrigued by this, he investigated how this connection was possible and saw that the seeds formed a kind of hook that connected to the loops they made on other materials, such as his clothing. Thus, in 1941, the hook-and-loop fastener, better known as Velcro, was discovered.

8. Gravity

The important theory of gravity was made possible thanks to an apple. It is said that while Isaac Newton was resting in the shade of an apple tree, a fruit fell from it. It was at that moment that he wondered why this always happened in the same way, why the apple always fell downwards. This is how he had the brilliant idea of ​​the existence of a force that caused objects, including ourselves, to always fall towards the earth, downwards.

9. Aspirin

He hadn't been working in the Bayer Company's chemistry laboratory for long when, while researching another substance, Felix Hoffman was able to synthesize acetylsalicylic acid in a stable and pure form. Thus, in 1894, he discovered aspirin, a substance with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic (fever-reducing) effects, which soon became world-renowned.

10. Color blindness

John Dalton postulated that color vision problems are due to abnormalities in the vitreous humor, a transparent fluid located between the retina and the lens. Although his theory was rejected during Dalton's lifetime, he affirmed this, as he himself suffered from the disorder. He requested that his eyes be preserved upon his death so they could be analyzed later, and it was thus discovered in 1995 that Dalton suffered from color blindness, specifically deuteranopia, a disorder in the perception of the color green. This condition is therefore commonly known as color blindness.

Actualizado 17 marzo, 2025

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