| Over
the last few years, I have had a growing interest in
scientific serendipity, which means discoveries that
involved a large dose of luck. In particular, it refers
to those scientists who made breakthroughs that they
were not even looking for.
Tales
of scientific serendipity are always intriguing, quirky
and surprising, which makes them ideal material for
radio. The series (produced by Amanda Hargreaves and
Monise Durrani) includes serendipitous discoveries in
areas ranging from astronomy to chemistry, from meteorology
to marine biology, from spectroscopy to the invention
of the microwave oven, from X-rays to the mystery behind
ghostly Will o’the Wisps.
The stories
in the series do show that luck contributes to the progress
of science, but it is important to appreciate that serendipity
also requires an inherent level of genius; namely, the
genius to spot the deeper significance of the chance
event or fortuitous observation.
Louis
Pasteur, whose own career involved serendipity when
he accidentally discovered that attenuated microbes
can be used for immunisation, wisely noted that, "In
the fields of observation, chance favours only the prepared
mind."
You will find a
definition of serendipity on
this site, and you can find out more about the new series
by clicking here, and the contents of the three
programmes from the 2001 series can be found by
clicking here. |
