serendipity

thumb|Portrait of Horace Walpole by [[Joshua Reynolds, 1756]]Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754.

The concept is often associated with scientific and technological breakthroughs, where accidental discoveries led to new insights or inventions. Many significant discoveries in history were serendipitous, including penicillin, Post-it notes, Popsicles, and the microwave oven, arising from unforeseen circumstances that were then recognized and capitalized upon.