Accidental Inventions that Changed Our World
50 True Stories of Mistakes that Actually Worked and Their Origins
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Narrated by:
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KC Wayman
About this listen
Discover some of the world's most incredible inventions that were—surprisingly—made by accident.
Have you ever wondered how some of the most popular items that we see and use in our daily lives were made?
Would you be surprised to know that some of these inventions were made by mistake, only to become widely-used and beloved products?
When we think of accidents or mistakes, we automatically think of failure–that you need to throw everything out and start over from scratch, or maybe just give up.
Well, these inventors and creators proved that notion wrong!
In fact, they became the definition of “if you make a mistake, learn from it and adapt yourself to the new situation.”
It’s time to go on an adventure to discover the accidental origin stories behind some of the world’s most popular objects.
In this exciting discovery of accidents, you will discover:
- Fifty of the most popular inventions out there and the true stories behind how they were accidentally created
- A blast from the past–childhood toys that started out as serious objects before turning into the fun toys you remember so well
- The mishap at sea that led to the creation of the hole-centered donut
- Lifesaving medications that you might use every day that were created for totally different purposes
- How a failed invention for a strong adhesive eventually gave rise to this popular office supply
- Objects and appliances around your home that you wouldn’t believe were intended for other uses
- And much more.
These stories will show you that mistakes and failures don’t have to mean the end of your dream. In fact, they could just be the beginning.
Be inspired to turn your mistakes into successes and find the potential behind every accident.
When accidents happen, get curious, not furious: Scroll up and click the “Add to Cart” button right now.
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Overall
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In Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson shares the story of how she simplified her life by reducing her waste. Today, Bea, her husband, Scott, and their two young sons produce just one quart of garbage a year, and their overall quality of life has changed for the better. They now have more time together, they've cut their annual spending by a remarkable 40 percent, and they are healthier than they've ever been.
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Not so modest living.
- By Anonymous User on 10-02-18
By: Bea Johnson
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Short Course in Beer
- An Introduction to Tasting and Talking About the World's Most Civilized Beverage
- By: Lynn Hoffman
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Straightforward and opinionated, Short Course in Beer is designed to turn the novice beer lover into an expert imbiber and the casual drinker into an enthusiast. Readers will come to understand the beauty of beer and the sources of its flavor, as well as learn which beers are worth our time and which are not. With tongue in cheek, the author examines beer's historical connections to the Crusades, the Hundred Years' War, and modern-day soccer riots. He talks frankly (and joyfully) about the effects of alcohol on the body and brain, he defends beer from its enemies, and ushers it out of the frat house and into the dining room.
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An Ok Beer Book
- By AppleCedAR on 10-21-13
By: Lynn Hoffman
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The Joy of Sweat
- The Strange Science of Perspiration
- By: Sarah Everts
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Sweating may be one of our weirdest biological functions, but it’s also one of our most vital and least understood. In The Joy of Sweat, Sarah Everts delves into its role in the body - and in human history. Everts’ entertaining investigation takes listeners around the world - from Moscow, where she participates in a dating event in which people sniff sweat in search of love, to New Jersey, where companies hire trained armpit sniffers to assess the efficacy of their anti-sweat products. Along the way, Everts traces humanity’s long quest to control sweat.
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Quirky topic, but engaging
- By K. Bachelor on 05-02-22
By: Sarah Everts
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A Woman's Guide to Cannabis
- Using Marijuana to Feel Better, Look Better, Sleep Better - and Get High Like a Lady
- By: Nikki Furrer
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Women of all ages are using cannabis to feel and look better. For rookies and experienced marijuana users alike, this lively, information-filled audiobook is just the supportive guide you need to find the right dose to relieve anxiety, depression, and inflammation, and mitigate the onset of dementia and other signs of aging. Plus boost moods, ease aches, even lose weight, and get restful sleep. And a dose just for fun? Well, that works, too!
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DO NOT BUY
- By Amazon Customer on 06-28-21
By: Nikki Furrer
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Who Was Milton Hershey?
- Who Was...?
- By: James Buckley Jr.
- Narrated by: Vikas Adam
- Length: 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Discover the man behind the chocolate bar! Milton Hershey’s life was filled with invention and innovation. As a young man, he was not afraid to dream big and work hard. Eventually, he learned the secret to mass-producing milk chocolate and the recipe that gave it a longer, more stable shelf life. He founded a school for those who didn’t have access to a good education and an entire town for his employees. Both his chocolate empire and his great personal legacy live on today.
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I like it
- By Beverly Tramble on 12-03-22
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The Radioactive Boy Scout
- The Frightening True Story of a Whiz Kid and His Homemade Nuclear Reactor
- By: Ken Silverstein
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Growing up in suburban Detroit, David Hahn was fascinated by science. While he was working on his Atomic Energy badge for the Boy Scouts, David's obsessive attention turned to nuclear energy. Throwing caution to the wind, he plunged into a new project: building a model nuclear reactor in his backyard garden shed. Posing as a physics professor, David solicited information on reactor design from the US government and from industry experts. Following blueprints he found in an outdated physics textbook, David cobbled together a crude device that threw off toxic levels of radiation.
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Interesting story
- By Kevin Gunter on 07-16-19
By: Ken Silverstein
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Unprocessed
- My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food
- By: Megan Kimble
- Narrated by: Sarah Mollo-Christensen
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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In January of 2012, Megan Kimble was a 26-year-old living in a small apartment without even a garden plot to her name. But she cared about where food came from, how it was made, and what it did to her body: so she decided to go an entire year without eating processed foods. Unprocessed is the narrative of Megan's extraordinary year, in which she milled wheat, extracted salt from the sea, milked a goat, slaughtered a sheep, and more - all while earning an income that fell well below the federal poverty line.
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Very insightful
- By Anonymous User on 01-10-21
By: Megan Kimble
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The Sawbones Book
- The Horrifying, Hilarious Road to Modern Medicine
- By: Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
- Narrated by: Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Wondering whether eating powdered mummies might be just the thing to cure your ills? Tempted by those vintage ads suggesting you wear radioactive underpants for virility? Ever considered drilling a hole in your head to deal with those pesky headaches? Probably not. But for thousands of years, people have done things like this - and things that make radioactive underpants seem downright sensible! In their hit podcast, Sawbones, Sydnee and Justin McElroy breakdown the weird and wonderful way we got to modern healthcare. And some of the terrifying detours along the way.
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Close but no cigar . . .
- By Amanda Buffkin on 12-22-18
By: Justin McElroy, and others
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Gulp
- Adventures on the Alimentary Canal
- By: Mary Roach
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Mary Roach returns with a new adventure to the invisible realm we carry around inside. Roach takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour. The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: The questions explored in Gulp are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff and every bit as surreal as the universe of zero gravity explored in Packing for Mars. Why is crunchy food so appealing? Why is it so hard to find words for flavors and smells? Why doesn’t the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before your stomach bursts?
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Funtastic Voyage
- By Mel on 04-05-13
By: Mary Roach
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The Second Book of General Ignorance
- Everything You Think You Know Is (Still) Wrong
- By: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Just when you thought that it was safe to start showing off again, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson are back with another busload of mistakes and misunderstandings. Here is a new collection of simple, perfectly obvious questions you'll be quite certain you know the answers to. Whether it's history, science, sports, geography, literature, language, medicine, the classics, or common wisdom, you'll be astonished to discover that everything you thought you knew is still hopelessly wrong.
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It's all stuff from QI
- By Bonnie Kennedy on 04-07-21
By: John Lloyd, and others
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Infused
- Adventures in Tea
- By: Henrietta Lovell
- Narrated by: Henrietta Lovell
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Henrietta Lovell is on a mission to revolutionize the way we drink tea by replacing industrially produced teabags with the highest quality tea leaves. Infused invites us to discover these remarkable places, introducing us to the individual growers and household-name chefs Lovell has met along the way - and reveals the true pleasures of tea. The result is a delicious infusion of travel writing, memoir, and recipes, all written with Lovell's unique charm and wit.
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I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite tea but this is definitely my favorite book on the topic of tea!
- By Mindful Tea Queen on 05-15-21
By: Henrietta Lovell
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Whiskey Distilled
- A Populist Guide to the Water of Life
- By: Heather Greene
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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In this lively and authoritative guide, Greene teaches listeners about whiskey and encourages them to make their own evaluations. Peppered with wry anecdotes drawn from her unusual life - and including recipes for delicious cocktails by some of today's most celebrated mixologists - Whiskey Distilled will be enthusiastically greeted by the whiskey curious as well as by journeymen whiskey drinkers thirsty to learn more about their beloved tipple.
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Buy the hard copy, skip the audio!
- By P Boz on 08-20-15
By: Heather Greene
What listeners say about Accidental Inventions that Changed Our World
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- G Flickinger
- 03-06-24
Fun read!
"Accidental Inventions that Changed Our World" is a fantastic find for parents looking to teach their kids the value of mistakes. Filled with stories of accidental inventions that changed the world, it's a great way to show that not all errors are negative. It's become a favorite for car rides, sparking interesting conversations and helping us all see the potential in our blunders. An enlightening and enjoyable listen that has shifted our view on mistakes. Plus, it's packed with fun and surprising facts about inventions like chocolate chip cookies and popsicles, making it a delightful and educational experience.
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- Gerald
- 03-14-24
Cool Facts to Know
This book explores 50 true-to-life accidental inventions recorded in history. I found listening to this audiobook fascinating. I was left in awe by the little-known yet intriguing facts about some of the most useful inventions that were created by accident. This book made me realize that mistakes aren't always bad; they can lead to something useful
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- Brooke Clegg
- 03-03-24
A fun look at mind blowing inventions that I took for granted
This was such fun read!!! It was education and surprisingly shocking all that was invented by accident. The world would not be the same without all these items. I loved the one about the chocolate chip cookie, who know that was an accident! Then come is made from an ingredient similar to cocaine! No wonder it's additive! The popsicle, petroleum jelly, the slinky, and much more! I had to keep listening it was so much fun.
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- KelliG
- 03-04-24
Wow, such fun information
Wow, this book is an enlightening and enjoyable read that not only educates readers about the history of various inventions but also talks about important life lessons about adaptability, perseverance, and the hidden potential in what may initially appear as failure. Whether you're an aspiring inventor, a history enthusiast, or someone looking for a little inspiration to turn your own mistakes into successes, this book offers a wealth of insights and encouragement to find the opportunity in every accident.
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- Anonymous User
- 03-18-24
Great audiobook.
Wow, what a great and informative book full of knowledge and wows! I listened to this book, and believe me, I really enjoyed it. It covers the inventions of common things that we use in our daily lives but still don't know about. This book is not just for adults but for children too. Its engaging narrative and fascinating insights make it a perfect learning tool for young minds. I will recommend this to my niece and nephews so that they can gain more amazing knowledge and broaden their horizons.
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- L Matuska
- 03-20-24
Innovative Mistakes
Prepare to be amazed by "Accidental Inventions that Changed Our World." This audiobook offers a compelling glimpse into the world of innovation, highlighting the role of serendipity and chance in shaping our modern lives. Through a series of captivating narratives, the author explores how some of the most revolutionary inventions of our time were born out of mistakes, mishaps, and unexpected discoveries. From the invention of the microwave oven to the creation of Coca-Cola, each story is a testament to the power of curiosity and perseverance. Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply intrigued by the mysteries of invention, this audiobook is a must-listen.
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- Kevin Almiron
- 04-11-24
Insane facts
Who would you tell that many of the inventions that we take for granted today were accidental or just straight up mistakes. Very good entertaining and interesting book that opens your high into a lot of things.
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- brett comeau
- 02-27-24
The inventions that made the world, have crazy stories
When you look at our modern world have you ever stopped to think about how we got here? This book will show you the history of our modern world. There are some amazing stories.
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- ItsMeMarco
- 02-29-24
Embrace the Unexpected, It Could Change the World
As a dad, I'm always looking for stories to inspire my kids that it's okay to mess up because it's all part of learning. This audiobook was a gold mine of such stories. Listening to tales of accidental inventions that shaped our world, I found the perfect examples to show my kids that not all mistakes are bad. Some can lead to amazing discoveries. It's become our car ride favorite, sparking endless "what if" conversations and teaching us all to see the potential in our blunders. A truly enlightening listen that has changed our perspective on mistakes.
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- Helen Williams
- 03-15-24
What a fun delight!
This short book shows the true stories of mistakes that actually worked and their origins. Each story is a testament to the unpredictable. Nature of innovation showing that mistakes aren’t just obstacles, but opportunities to learn and adapt. This is a must read for anyone who loves to discover the quirky and unexpected paths that lead to innovation.
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