National Science Day is celebrated every year on February 28th in honor of Dr. C.V. Raman’s discovery of the ‘Raman Effect.’ Dr. Raman, who, with his profound intellect, posed the question “Why is the color of the sky blue?”, discovered the phenomenon of light scattering, leading to the Raman Effect. His efforts were rewarded on February 28, 1928, when his research earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

The purpose of celebrating this day as Science Day in our country is to highlight the importance of science, inspire a love for science from a young age, foster a scientific outlook, and encourage the development of researchers and scholars in science.Science is often perceived as something difficult, beyond understanding, or to be precise, something that requires extensive study, involves writing definitions as they are, and does not happen just by thinking.

This idea becomes ingrained in our minds. We, who study the surroundings joyfully, might think moving something from here to there is an achievement, but sitting for three hours to study doesn’t seem significant. As we move into the realm of substances, atoms, and the discovery of harmful microorganisms, the realization dawns that the path of science is indeed tough. When we read and understand the stories of who and how these discoveries were made, the subject begins to seem closer and easier.

Did you know? The story of any discovery is not always a “Eureka!” moment; many times, it can be an unexpected event. In this article, we will read about some such discoveries that came to light suddenly, accidentally, and today have become indispensable in the world.

Paper and the Printing Press

In the 2nd century AD, during the Han dynasty in China, a significant invention took place. An official named Cai Lun worked for the Han emperor. While working, Cai Lun observed a beehive and noticed that certain types of wasps used fibers from tree bark along with a liquid secreted from their mouths to build their nests. This gave him an idea—if fibers could be extracted from wood, they might be used to create a writing surface.

He experimented by boiling pieces of bamboo in a liquid solution. The fibers separated, and he poured the resulting pulp onto a piece of cloth. He then dried it under the hot sun, forming a thin sheet. This dried pulp became the first paper, which could be used for writing.

In the 14th century, the number of people who could read books was very limited because all writing had to be done by hand. Then came a brilliant young craftsman, Johannes Gutenberg, who worked with metals and gemstones. He developed the first printing press using metal type and ink, revolutionizing the way books were produced and making printed materials more accessible to the world.

Medicinal Chemicals and Artificial Dyes

The foundation of the modern chemical industry can also be attributed to an accidental discovery that began with waste material. In the 19th century, when coal was converted into gas, it produced a foul-smelling, sticky sludge, leading to the creation of a new type of waste known as tar. Today, we use this tar to build roads. Later, the head of the Royal College of Chemistry in London, August Wilhelm von Hofmann, realized that some compounds in coal tar were similar to those found in known medicines. He speculated that if the right chemical reactions could be achieved, the world could have affordable and effective treatments for diseases.

In 1856, William Perkin, an 18-year-old chemist, attempted to convert coal tar into quinine, a drug used to treat malaria. At that time, quinine was extracted from tree bark, which was a slow and labor-intensive process.Perkin knew that quinine and coal tar shared similar chemical structures. He combined substances from coal tar that resembled quinine’s structure, hoping to remove unwanted elements and obtain pure quinine. However, his first experiment produced a reddish-black powder instead of the expected pale-white quinine.

He made two more modifications, but instead of quinine, he ended up with a black powder. When he mixed this powder with alcohol, it turned into a vibrant purple dye. Perkin realized that this beautiful purple dye could be used to color silk. At that time, purple fabric was made using rare foreign insects, making it extremely expensive and only affordable for the rich. Perkin named his dye Mauve and even started his own factory to produce synthetic dye.

Artificial Sweetener

The chemical industry grew rapidly after such discoveries. In 1878, a worker named Constantine Fahlberg, who was working with coal tar, accidentally forgot to wash his hands before eating dinner. He was surprised when he noticed that his bread tasted unusually sweet.Curious, Fahlberg and his colleagues investigated further and discovered an extremely sweet substance derived from coal tar residues—this was saccharin, the first artificial sweetener. Today, artificial sweeteners are widely used in many food products around the world.

Teflon

Accidental discoveries increased significantly in the 20th century. In the late 1930s, Dr. Roy J. Plunkett at DuPont was working on gases related to refrigerants. One day, a new compound unexpectedly solidified into a powder, making all the materials non-stick and slippery. Upon examining the frozen, compressed sample of tetrafluoroethylene, he and his colleagues stumbled upon an unexpected discovery. The substance was a white, wax-like solid that was resistant to all chemicals. This was Polytetrafluoroethylene, which DuPont later marketed as Teflon. Teflon is used as a coating for metal surfaces to make them non-stick. Since it does not conduct electricity, it is also widely used for wire coatings.

Microwave

In 1945, an engineer named Percy Spencer was experimenting with vacuum tubes at an electrical appliance company. During his lunch break, he was about to take out a piece of peanut brittle from his pocket when he noticed it had melted into a sticky lump. Curious, he placed an egg near these microwaves, and, unsurprisingly, it exploded.

The next day, he tested popcorn, and when the kernels started popping, he realized he had discovered something significant. In 1967, a smaller, more affordable version of the microwave was introduced to the American market, and today, microwaves are found in countless homes.

Much of what we enjoy in the modern world exists because of such accidental discoveries. But are these merely miracles? Of course not. Many scientists work tirelessly day and night, never ignoring their questions and doubts, seeking answers until they find them. In today’s world, we students are incredibly fortunate! With technology like mobile phones and TV, we can learn about science in an engaging way. We can get answers to our “Why?” questions in an instant. So why not take inspiration from these discoveries and explore the real world of science?

Ref: https://www.britannica.com/video/invention-stories-products/-207726