Every day, people rely on things that started out as an idea. Usually, scientists and researchers spend years defining a plan before bringing it to fruition. But other times, individuals conduct science experiments by accident. And on rare occasions, those yield amazing results. These 50 examples show you exactly what we mean.
Someone came up with the crazy idea of planting pumpkin seeds inside of a creepy plastic face mold. After it grew, people thought this individual was brilliant, not crazy. This person just started an incredible trend.
Some friends were hanging out and decided to snap some photos. While one person used their iPhone, another individual simultaneously snapped the same photo using a camera with the flash on. This was the outcome.
3. Electrified kitty paws
Have you ever touched a plasma ball? It’s pretty cool. Well, this is what happens when a cat touches one with its paw. This might look terrifying but the kitty was just fine.
At first, you might think this is a bowl of red worms. But that’s not even close. Have you ever wondered what happens if you leave a bowl of beet juice out? Probably not…but if you have, it produces red ripples.
There’s a reason packets of lettuce provide a timeline for harvesting. If you wait too long, this happens. But on the bright side, this person ended up with more lettuce than anticipated.
6. Thinking outside of the box
For some of these accidental experiments, you have to wonder what’s going on in the mind of the person involved. To create this stunning effect, the individual swung a string of glow sticks with burning steel wool attached to the end. They then snapped this photo using long exposure.
7. You can see for miles…
…or so it seems. A man decided to add horizontal mirrors to the outside of his cabin in the desert. What he didn’t expect was this awesome phenomenon.
There are Fire Belly frogs and then there are frogs that look like their bellies are on fire. After seeing a frog eat a firefly, a person took this photo. Now, that’s fantastic.
This accidental experiment forever changed the world of medicine. It happened with Wilhelm Roentgen, a German physicist, noticed that a tube located on some nearby crystals gave off an eerie fluorescent glow. Through further experimentation, he ultimately developed x-rays.
Gummy worms, that is. Usually, these candy worms measure roughly two inches long and about one-quarter of an inch thick. But looking at the size comparison next to the dollar bill, these things got quite large when freeze-dried.
While marbles are fun to play with, the problem is that most of them look pretty much the same. If you want something unique, you can do what this person did. They took a regular marble, heated it over an open flame, and then dropped it into a bowl of cold water.
12. Another medical breakthrough
Penicillin has saved countless lives but its discovery was by complete accident. Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist, went on vacation but forgot to put a culture away. When he returned, he discovered the fungus that grew killed all the surrounding bacteria in the culture.
13. They really do sprout
Just as the name implies, bean sprouts actually sprout. One individual discovered this after leaving a spring roll with this ingredient in it on his desk for four days. When he came back to work, this is what he saw.
14. Lifetime supply of ice
This looks a lot like the ice sold at convenience stores minus the plastic bags. After forgetting to put the ice tray back in the freezer, this happened. Remember, there’s an arm on the trays used with automatic ice cube makers that prevent the equipment from overproducing.
To achieve this effect, the sunlight had to hit the trashcan at just the right time. And it did. After shining through the blinds and onto the garbage can, this was the result.
What would happen if someone fell asleep in a bathtub for a long time? One person wanted to know. So, that’s what they did and this was the outcome.
To get this shot of propeller blades, the person taking the photograph had to have used a super-fast lens speed. After all, the plane was in motion. For an aviation enthusiast, this would make a spectacular piece of artwork to hang on the wall.
Initially, you might think this is a handmade vase. Or perhaps a unique ashtray. But both of those guesses are incorrect. This is a piece of asphalt after it was struck by lightning.
That’s so shiny that it’d make a great item to display in your home. But wait, that’s not even an egg. Believe it or not, that’s what a coconut looks like after it’s been polished.
Well, more like a lot droopy. The next time you’re tempted to place a candle outside when it’s hot, don’t do it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with something like this.
This accidental experiment produced an awesome design. So, what is it? This is water that froze on a spinning wheel.
Although this isn’t an experiment per se, it’s definitely worth adding to the list. This lake water became so cold that it froze like this. It’s surreal.
As you saw with the first example, lightning is an incredibly powerful force. Here’s what else it can do. This is what sand looks like when struck.
It makes sense that in super cold temperatures, the mist around a waterfall would freeze. But considering that most waterfalls are in tropical locations, few people get the chance to see something like this. So naturally beautiful.
25. We couldn’t live without it
Sometimes, an accidental experiment ends up being something that millions of people depend on daily. The microwave. This discovery was made by an American engineer by the name of Percy Spencer when he walked in front of a magnetron only to find the chocolate bar in his pocket melted.
Another experiment yielded something used for a variety of purposes. It started when George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, noticed Burdock seeds stuck to his coat while out on a walk. Under a microscope, he found they had burrs. That simple revelation resulted in the invention of Velcro.
It looks as though there’s an upside to not cleaning out the refrigerator. You could end up with an edible centerpiece like this. Okay, so what is it? A half head of cabbage that someone left in the fridge way too long.
Initially, you might think this is fancy sand art. Then, it appears it might be a photoshopped image of a house. It’s actually a real house covered with sandy ice thanks to 50 miles per hour winds blowing across Lake Erie.
Seriously, this would look stunning hanging on the wall in any home. But if you look closer, you’ll realize this is a tire. The person accidentally drove over chalk paint on a hot day.
This houseboat was abandoned on a river in Germany. Over many years, Mother Nature took over. Now, it almost blends in perfectly with the surroundings.
31. Everyone loves Play Doh
In the 1930s, this material was developed to clean soot off of wallpaper. But with the introduction of vinyl wallpaper, it became obsolete. Then, a teacher found out that her students would model things out of it at home. So, she started to market it as Play Doh, a child’s toy.
Potato chips were invented in 1850 by a chef named George Crumb who worked at a restaurant in Florida. One day, a customer sent his French fries back more than once because they were too thick. Annoyed, Crumb sliced the potatoes super thin, deep-fried them, and sprinkled them with salt. They were an immediate hit.
Here’s a new twist on carrots. Serious, a new twist. This is what happens if you don’t properly thin out your garden.
Curious as to what would happen by putting different colors in a dish of water, one person found out. The colors created a natural barrier. That’s pretty amazing.
A lot of people enjoy making art by burning wood. But this piece was done naturally. The wood was hit with high voltage, which created what appears to be a gorgeous tree.
Windmills are commonly used to produce power. But when they’re operating on a foggy day, something incredible happens. While this doesn’t change the way they work, it does create a beautiful sight.
Today’s car washes do a fantastic job. Kids especially like driving through them because of the colored foam. But when a pipe breaks, a gorgeous rainbow effect follows.
Viagra started as something entirely different. Originally, doctors used this to constrict arteries in the heart as a way of eliminating chest pain. But then, researchers discovered it had an unexpected side effect that’s gone on to help millions of men.
No, American’s favorite soda didn’t happen because of years of work. But rather, the assistance of pharmacist John Pemberton accidentally mixed two of the main ingredients with carbonated water. The result…Coca Cola.
At first, you might think that someone painted a mountain scene at the bottom of this cup. But it’s nothing more than coffee. This person left the cup lying sideways for a while and when they set it upright, this is what they saw.
Hopefully, the person who plans to eat this likes their food cold. In Antarctica, temperatures are so cold that food immediately freezes when taken outside. That means always eating dinner indoors.
In 1870, Thomas Adams was trying to make rubber out of a South American tree sap called chicle. But every experiment failed. Frustrated, he popped a piece in his mouth, which led to the creation of Chiclets chewing gum.
While working in a lab, a chemist accidentally spilled a chemical compound on his hand. While eating lunch, he got a small amount in his mouth and realized it was sweet. That led to the development of saccharin and eventually, a host of artificial sweeteners.
After leaving his bike outside too long, the seat cracked. Looking inside, the guy noticed what appeared like a green forest with a blue lake in the center. This is actually moss that decided to grow inside of the seat.
People use highlighters all the time to draw and well, highlight text. But this person wondered what would happen if he microwaved one. And now you know…it’s pretty cool.
In 1826, a man used a stick to stir a mixture of various compounds. Soon, it dried on the tip and no matter what he did, he couldn’t get it off. He then tried rubbing it on a stone floor that caused the mass to ignite. Here’s a fun fact…matchsticks were initially called “lucifers.”
In 1903, a chemist was working in a lab when he accidentally knocked a glass jar off the table. But it didn’t break. Come to find out, it had once contained a plastic substance called cellules nitrate. That started the revolution of safety glass that we know today.
48. Lightning on the golf course
If you know anything about golf, it’s that when a storm gets near, you need to get off the course immediately since it’s notorious for being struck by lightning. That’s what happened to the flag on this green. It’s amazing to see just how the strike spread.
49. Challenging game of basketball
Usually, when someone wants to play a challenging game of basketball, it means they want to play against really good players. Well, it now takes on an entirely different meaning. Playing on a court with pipes that burst beneath it would be more than difficult.
50. One of a kind handprint
We’re not sure why someone had agar in a petri dish but they did. That’s when their eight-year-old son had an idea. Yep, he planted his hand right in the middle of it. Honestly, this is amazing.
