Happy Accidents: Serendipity in Modern Medical Breakthroughs (edition 2007)

by Morton A. Meyers

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
124	5	220,184	(3.5)	2

kageeh's review

Fast -reading very interesting history of scientific discovery that occurs while looking for something else. A dust mote of common mold makes its way to an unwashed petri dish and leads to penicillin. A common rye fungus and fortuitous weather conditions leads to the Salem witch trials and acid trips on LSD. A side-effect of a tuberculosis drug leads to a pill for delirious schizophrenics. The book is an ode to the nerdy loner scientists we all laughed at in middle school. Long may they prosper and discover! (

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kageeh | Oct 9, 2007 |

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A series of entertaining reconstructions of key scientific discoveries that were largely happenstance. The book is informative, fun and leaves you with a view of science that is much less mysterious and a lot more luck and politics.

The book emphasises the medical sciences which are a bit particular in comparison fo others in their ethical aspects and complexity. (

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yates9 | Feb 28, 2024 |

3/24/22

laplantelibrary | Mar 24, 2022 |

Meyers's contention is that scientific discoveries of the paradigm-shifting sort are not generally made by rote testing of compounds (for example), but by serendipitous accidents that are recognized as significant. His examples generally, though not always, support this position. It's clear from the degree to which he becomes exercised that cancer research was the impetous for this book. (

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OshoOsho | Mar 30, 2013 |

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kageeh | Oct 9, 2007 |

About: How scientists discovered groundbreaking medical treatments when they were looking for something else

Pros: Interesting, bibliography included

Cons: Some stories are more interesting than others

Grade: B (

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charlierb3 | Jul 12, 2007 |

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