When we make a mistake, often our first instinct is to say, "Oh no!" and to feel regret and maybe even embarrassment at our failure. But mistakes and accidents are not always a bad thing. In fact, they sometimes give rise to extraordinary ideas. In 1492, Christopher Columbus set out to discover a new route to Asia. He did not reach Asia, but this failure resulted in his discovering the New World!
There are many stories of such happy accidents throughout modern history.