Boom! Dynamite can blast away mountainsides and bring down buildings. This powerful explosive was discovered over 150 years ago, but it wasn't always safe to use. That's because dynamite contains nitroglycerin, a very dangerous explosive. In the late 1860s, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel accidentally invented dynamite while he was working on a way to make nitroglycerin safer to handle. This book takes an in-depth look at the science behind dynamite, as well as its role in the past, present, and future of demolition. Readers will have a blast learning about this explosive discovery.

How many items can you think of that are made of plastic? It's seemingly everywhere. It might be difficult to imagine a world without plastic, but until about 100 years ago, plastic as we know it today didn't exist. The word "plastic" wasn't even used until the 1920s. Readers will learn how many types of plastic were invented accidentally by scientists who were trying to make something else. Accessible, fun content describes how these discoveries were made and how they would go on to change the world in ways both big and small.

The foundation of the human body is our bones. Whether it's in regard to health or even a skeleton costume on Halloween, the discovery of the X-ray machine has greatly improved our understanding of the human body and its bones. The technology for X-rays dated back to the late nineteenth century but was in plain sight for years until their true potential was discovered by accident. This volume introduces readers to the story of their discovery and how they've changed medicine for the better ever since.

One of the single greatest leaps forward in human healthcare happened because of an accident in a laboratory. This serendipitous event was the result of a summer vacation in Scotland and an unattended experiment. Dr. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, one of the first antibiotics, in 1928 when he noticed that mold had gotten into a petri dish and it had prevented bacteria from growing. This book explores Fleming's accidental discovery, the science behind antibiotics, and the dawn of the era of antibiotics.

Almost every film, even the classics, contains blunders and gaffes -- and this compendium of thousands of amusing mistakes will turn every reader into an informed goof sleuth and provide hours of entertainment. Each entry lists title, credits, plot, bloopers, nonbloopers (mistakenly reported errors), questions (oddities), and fun facts. Bloopers range from the hilariously obvious to the picayune; each described and keyed to the timer on a video player for easy locating. Here's a sample: -- From Casablanca (1942): An indignant Lazlo (Paul Henreid) asks the band to play "La Marsellaise" and the music erupts from the trumpets before they actually reach the players' mouths. (01:12) -- From Pretty Woman (1990): Vivian (Julia Roberts) is having breakfast; she grabs a croissant and nibbles it. A few shots later, she holds a pancake. (00:30) -- From Titanic (1997): As Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes to the rich folks' dinner, a waiter opens a beautiful door -- that reflects the image of a steadycam operator. (00:56) -- From The Courage of Lassie (1946), with Elizabeth Taylor as Kathie Merrick. Just one problem -- in the movie, the dog is called Bill.

Every time your heart beats, an electrical current has been sent from certain cells to the rest of the heart muscle tissue, triggering your heart to contract and push blood through your body. When these signals go awry, major health issues such as heart attacks can occur. Enter the pacemaker, a small implanted device that keeps your heart beating. Did you know, implantable pacemakers were invented by accident? This volume explores the history, struggles, and the accidental invention of the pacemaker, a device that beats hundreds of thousands of times each year to save people's lives.

In 1945, invisible waves such as radio waves and microwaves had already changed the world. As World War II raged on, microwaves were an important tool for the Allied war effort as they were used to spot incoming enemy airplanes and ships. Today microwaves are now part of daily life on a much smaller scale. Instead of watching movement, the energy of microwaves is used to heat up your favorite meals and leftovers, quickly, at any time, with the push of a few buttons. Readers will learn it's an amazing technological advancement that was discovered completely by accident.