Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science

Partial table of contents: Archimedes----The First Streaker. A Sick Indian Discovers Quinine. The Electric Battery and Electromagnetism----From a Froga s Leg and Compass. Discoveries of the Elements. Daguerre and the Invention of Photography. Nobel----the Man, the Discoveries, and the Prizes. Friedel and Crafts----A Laboratory Accident Spawns New Industrial Chemistry. Some Astronomical Serendipities. Accidental Medical Discoveries. Substitute Sugar: How Sweet It Is----And Non--Fattening. Nylon: Cold--Drawing Does the Trick. Velcro and Other Gifts from Serendipity for Modern Living. Conceptions, Misconceptions, and Accidents in Organic Synthesis. Epilogue: How Accidents Become Discoveries. Appendix. Index.