- Penicillin
Inventor: Sir Alexander Fleming, a scientist.
What he was trying to make: Ironically, Fleming was searching for a "wonder drug" that could cure diseases. However, it wasn't until Fleming threw away his experiments that he found what he was looking for.
- Potato Chips
Inventor: George Crum, a chef at the Carey Moon Lake House in Saratoga Springs.
What they were trying to make: A plate of fried potato.
How it was created: One day, a customer sent back his plate of potatoes many times and kept asking for them to be more fried and thinner. Crum lost his temper, sliced the potatoes insanely thin and fried them until they were hard as a rock. To the chef's surprise, the customer loved them and wanted more! And this is how potato chips came into existence.