Some of the things we use every day weren't planned at all. They were happy accidents, failed experiments or totally different products that found a second life. Here are seven inventions with surprising backstories.
1. Bubble Wrap Was Meant to Be Wallpaper: In 1957, two engineers tried to make textured wallpaper. It flopped as decor, but it turned out to be perfect for packaging (and popping).
2. Play-Doh Started as Wallpaper Cleaner: The squishy dough was first sold to clean soot off walls before it was reinvented as a children's toy in the 1950s.
3. The Slinky Fell Off a Shelf: Naval engineer Richard James was working with springs when one tumbled off a shelf and kept "walking." A classic toy was born.
4. Super Glue Was a Sticky Problem: Chemist Harry Coover discovered it while trying to make clear plastic gun sights during World War II, but it stuck to everything. Years later, that became the selling point.
5. Post-it Notes Came From a "Failed" Glue: A 3M scientist created an adhesive that was too weak. A coworker later realized it was perfect for bookmarks that wouldn't fall out or damage pages.
6. The Frisbee Was Named After a Pie Company: College students used to toss empty pie tins from the Frisbie Pie Company in Connecticut, inspiring the name of the famous flying disc.
7. Potato Chips Have a Legendary Origin: As the story goes, a chef in Saratoga Springs, New York, sliced potatoes paper-thin in 1853 to please a picky customer. Whether or not it's true, we're grateful!
Next time something goes wrong, remember: it might just be the start of something great!
