In examining discovery by serendipity, error, and exaptation, there are some clear similarities but the nuances are what create the differences. Serendipity is when an unexpected situation yields beneficial outcomes or results. In this context, many discoveries have happened due to circumstances that can be described as serendipitous. One example of a serendipitous discovery would be that of the discovery of penicillin. In 1928, Alexander Fleming was researching influenza, when one of his petri dishes became contaminated and started to grow a mold (Ban, 2006). Fleming had noticed that even though the dish had been contaminated, the mold grew in a circle in which no bacteria was found (Ban, 2006). After isolating the mold, Fleming had discovered it created a liquid that has beneficial effects against fighting bacteria that commonly infect humans (Ban, 2006). It was this serendipitous discovery that ended with the ability to recreate the antibacterial effects that are now known to come from Penicillin (Ban, 2006).In comparing a discovery by error to serendipity, the error would imply that an action or idea has been executed incorrectly with the result still being useful in some novel manner, where as serendipity does not necessitate a mistake. One example of ...
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