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. For example, one of the greatest medical discoveries of the 20th century was antibiotics, a kind of medication used to kill bacteria that cause disease.