Accidental Inventions

Accidental Inventions
Author: Birgit Krols
Publisher: Insight Editions
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012-04-17
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 9781608870738

It’s hard to imagine a world without Coca-Cola, Post-its, or Velcro, but have you ever stopped to wonder how and when these items came to be? Accidental Inventions reveals the fascinating stories behind the toys, foods, gadgets, and tools we now consider indispensable. From peanut butter to penicillin, roller skates to radioactivity, dozens of essential inventions are spotlighted. Fully illustrated with over 240 photos, Accidental Inventions traces the path from inception to “ah ha!” for more than 60 products, and introduces the cast of clever, hardworking inventors behind them. Engaging narrative and colorful design make these stories accessible to readers of all ages, illuminating the happy collision of accident and inspiration that would profoundly change our lives.

Serendipity

Serendipity
Author: Royston M. Roberts
Publisher: Wiley
Total Pages: 292
Release: 1991-01-16
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780471602033

Many of the things discovered by accident are important in our everyday lives: Teflon, Velcro, nylon, x-rays, penicillin, safety glass, sugar substitutes, and polyethylene and other plastics. And we owe a debt to accident for some of our deepest scientific knowledge, including Newton's theory of gravitation, the Big Bang theory of Creation, and the discovery of DNA. Even the Rosetta Stone, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the ruins of Pompeii came to light through chance. This book tells the fascinating stories of these and other discoveries and reveals how the inquisitive human mind turns accident into discovery. Written for the layman, yet scientifically accurate, this illuminating collection of anecdotes portrays invention and discovery as quintessentially human acts, due in part to curiosity, perserverance, and luck.

51 Accidental Inventions that Changed the World

51 Accidental Inventions that Changed the World
Author: Kimte Guite
Publisher:
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2019-10-20
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9789353336585

Did you know? - Ice-lollies were invented when a little boy left a glass of soda water out on a chilly night. - Potato chips were the result of a chef wanting to teach an annoying customer a lesson. - And sandwiches were made when an Earl did not want to get his hands dirty while eating. This book is about the good stuff. The wonderful inventions we now cannot live without-from high-heels to tea-bags, pencils to x-rays, each story is an amazing mix of luck and a whole lot of perseverance and hard work. Imagine what our hot summers would be without ice-lolly? The horrors of never tasting potatochips! What would we do without our quick-fix Superglue? We hardly give a thought to the many little things we use every day. Don't you think it's time we learnt about a few stories of origin? Where do they come from? Who invented them and how? Learn about 51 fascinating stories of inventions in a book blending adorable, simple illustrations with lively text bursting with facts. Who knows, you might accidentally come up with an invention one day too!

The Accidental Scientist

The Accidental Scientist
Author: Graeme Donald
Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books
Total Pages: 182
Release: 2013-10-30
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 1782430997

The Accidental Scientist explores the role of chance and error in scientific, medical and commercial innovation, outlining exactly how some of the most well-known products, gadgets and useful gizmos came to be.

Mistakes That Worked

Mistakes That Worked
Author: Charlotte Foltz Jones
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Total Pages: 98
Release: 2016-10-11
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0399552022

The greatest discoveries are made outside the classroom! Learn all about mistakes that changed the world with this collection of the strange stories behind everyday inventions! It's no accident that you'll love this book! SANDWICHES came about when an English earl was too busy gambling to eat his meal and needed to keep one hand free. POTATO CHIPS were first cooked by a chef who was furious when a customer complained that his fried potatoes weren’t thin enough. Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays have fascinating stories behind them too! Their unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings. And don't miss Eat Your Words about the fascinating language of food! “A splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining . . . a gem.” —Booklist, Starred Review

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World
Author: Barry Wittenstein
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Total Pages: 35
Release: 2018-02-13
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1632895579

Did you know Band-Aids were invented by accident?! And that they weren't mass-produced until the Boy Scouts gave their seal of approval? 1920s cotton buyer Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and had a klutzy wife who often cut herself. The son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Band-Aids were born, but Earle's bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren't convinced, and it wasn't until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle's prototype that this ubiquitous household staple was made available to the public. Soon Band-Aids were selling like hotcakes, and the rest is boo-boo history. "Appealingly designed and illustrated, an engaging, fun story" — Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW

Accidental Medical Discoveries

Accidental Medical Discoveries
Author: Robert W. Winters
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2016-11-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 151071247X

Many of the world’s most important and life-saving devices and techniques were often discovered purely by accident. Serendipity, timing, and luck played a part in the discovery of unintentional cures and breakthroughs: A plastic shard in an RAF pilot’s eye leads to the use of plastic for contact lenses. The inability to remove a titanium chamber from rabbit’s bone leads to dental implants. Viagra was discovered by a group of chemists, working in the lab to find a new drug to alleviate the pain of angina pectoris. A stretch of five weeks of unusually warm weather in 1928 played a role in assisting Dr. Alexander Fleming in his analysis of bacterial growth and the discovery of penicillin. After studying the effects of the venom injected by the bite of a deadly pit viper snake, chemists developed a groundbreaking drug that works to control blood pressure. Accidental Medical Discoveries is an entertaining and enlightening look at the creation of 25 medical inventions that have changed the world – unintentionally. The book is presented in a lively and engaging way, and will appeal to a wide variety of readers, from history buffs to trivia fanatics to those in the medical profession.

Penicillin Was Discovered by Accident

Penicillin Was Discovered by Accident
Author: Jan Payne
Publisher: Enslow Publishing, LLC
Total Pages: 50
Release: 2016-07-15
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 076607739X

Science has made some incredible things possible. Many medications, technology, and scientific theory are well known, while others remain inventions of the imagination. Through engaging text enhanced by whimsical color illustrations and a fun quiz, readers can discover just how much they know about the history of science.

The Web Writer's Toolkit

The Web Writer's Toolkit
Author: Lynda Felder
Publisher: New Riders
Total Pages: 389
Release: 2013-02-07
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 0133260615

A recording of wind chimes. An item you cherish. Your childhood haunts. The pounding of a drum. Getting lost. As author Lynda Felder reveals in A Web Writer’s Toolkit, almost anything can serve as a point of inspiration for successful Web writing. Follow along with her 365 exercises—in order or jump around to sections on travel, games, sounds, and much more—to learn how to transform your experiences and observations into ingenious Web content. Pretend you have a time machine and write about the time and place you would visit. Produce an audio story with sound effects. Tell a story about the time you spent living abroad. Make a recording from a common household object and incorporate it into your blog. Write the script of a voicemail message. Choose a poem and compose a melody to go with it. By taking on these challenges, you will develop the confidence and skill you need to create successful content—while producing a significant body of work to present on the Web. Use this book on its own or with Lynda’s book Writing for the Web: Creating Compelling Web Content Using Words, Pictures, and Sound, and you’ll learn how to motivate yourself to generate great web content—and have fun doing it. Includes 365 challenges that encourage you to observe, to think, and to try effective storytelling tasks Focuses on words, pictures, and sound as story elements for your Web content, rather than the mechanics of using specific software apps and tools Features a simple, straightforward format of numbered exercises, with suggested time to take for each one For more tips, exercises, and suggestions for teachers, check out www.write4web.com.