Penicillin:Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 when he accidentally left a petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria uncovered, and mold from a nearby culture contaminated the dish. The mold killed the bacteria, leading to the discovery of penicillin
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Microwave Oven:Percy Spencer, an engineer at Raytheon Corporation, discovered the microwave oven in 1945 when he noticed that a candy bar in his pocket had melted while he was working on a radar system. He realized that the microwaves emitted by the radar system had caused the candy to melt, leading to the development of the microwave oven
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Post-it notes:In 1968, Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M, was attempting to create a super-strong adhesive. Instead, he created a weak, pressure-sensitive adhesive that would stick to surfaces but could easily be removed. This invention eventually led to the development of Post-it notes
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Velcro:Swiss engineer George de Mestral invented Velcro in 1941 after noticing that burrs from plants stuck to his clothes and his dog's fur. He studied the structure of the burrs and developed a hook-and-loop fastener that could be used in clothing, shoes, and other applications
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Coca-Cola:Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, who was trying to create a cure for headaches. He mixed Coca leaves and Kola nuts to create a syrup, which he then mixed with carbonated water, leading to the creation of Coca-ColaMindfulness and meditation can help you reduce stress and increase feelings of calm and happiness
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Teflon:Teflon was invented in 1938 by DuPont chemist Roy Plunkett while he was attempting to develop a new refrigerant. He discovered a white, waxy substance that had unique non-stick properties, which eventually led to the development of Teflon
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X-rays:X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, a physicist in Germany, while he was experimenting with cathode rays. He noticed that a nearby fluorescent screen was glowing even though it was not in the path of the cathode rays, leading to the discovery of X-rays
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Potato chips:Potato chips were invented in 1853 by chef George Crum, who was trying to satisfy a customer who complained that his French fries were too thick. Crum sliced the potatoes paper-thin and fried them until they were crispy, leading to the invention of potato chips