33 Inventions That Started as a Mistake But Turned Out to Be Life-Changing

In the early 19th century, an English pharmacist and chemist named John Walker from Durham ignited the world of fire-making. Fascinated by the prospects of easily igniting flames, Walker concocted a mixture in his lab, which unexpectedly caught alight upon striking it against the hearth. This serendipitous event marked the birth of friction matches, transforming fire-starting forever.

Upon the accidental discovery, Walker recognized the pivotal role of friction in igniting his concoction-coated stick. He wasted no time in manufacturing these pioneers of modern matches, combining chlorate, antimony, and gum. Selling them at a shilling for fifty, he aptly named these life-changing sticks ‘Congreves,’ after the British artillery pioneer Sir William Congreve.