#20. Discovering America
Christopher Columbus' name is known all across the world. Along with Marco Polo, the man is probably the most renowned explorer in human history. It's undeniable that the Europeans' discovery of the American continent wouldn't have occurred in 1492 without Columbus, but arriving there was a huge surprise for him, since he was actually trying to get to the Indies!
#19. Selling Alaska
Columbus' mistake during that journey is definitely one of the most famous errors, but don't worry, there are many more that are just as mind-boggling! The negotiation between the US and Russia for the purchase of Alaska, for instance. In 1867, President Andrew decided to buy Alaska from the Russians for about 7 million. The Russians were extremely pleased with the transaction, since the land was useless. Well... they would regret this decision for life, since Alaska's vast oil reserves would be found some years later.
#18. Fleming's Luckiest Mistake
Alexander Fleming is regarded as the most important biologist and pharmacologist of the 20th Century. Discovering penicillin was perhaps the revered scientist's most relevant accomplishment, but most people don't know that this key breakthrough was the result of a mistake! That's right, Fleming realized that mold could kill some pathogens after analyzing a sandwich that he had forgotten in his lab before taking a trip.
#17. Hiroshima
The terrible bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki constitute two of the most atrocious events in human history. Most people already know that the first of those two vicious attacks killed about 100 thousand people, but several historians tend to conceal an interesting fact: a translator incorrectly thought that a message from the Japanese government affirmed that they were rejecting the Allies' retirement suggestion, when they had actually said that they were going to think about it. That's right, had this error not occurred, the bombings could've been prevented.
#16. Spinach
Every parent in the world seems to have the same problem: 99 percent of the kids simply hate to eat broccoli and spinach. These are seen as two of the healthiest vegetables, and especially the latter is one of the most mythologized foods: it's supposed to give you amazing strength and turn you into Popeye. Well, this myth wouldn't exist without the error that caused it: in the 1870s a German scientist wrote that 100g of spinach contained 35mg of iron, but he forgot a decimal, because the correct number is 3,5!
#15. Hannibal's Arrogance
No, we're not talking about the infamous fictional serial killer. In case you haven't checked your history textbooks in a long while, Hannibal was a legendary general that lived from 247 to 183 BC. Though his knack for outstanding military strategies was unparalleled, he once lost thousands of soldiers due to a stupid mistake: when he and his soldiers were walking through the snowy Alps, he hit the ground to prove that it wasn't unstable... but that provoked a lethal avalanche.
#14. Napoleon's Downfall
Yes, Napoleon Bonaparte, the great French military leader himself, the guy who's regarded as one of the most brilliant war-strategists of all time, also committed a couple of silly miscalculations. His worst mistake was definitely when he decided to send his army to the Russian winter, a decision that later brought him terrible consequences.
#13. Selling Valuable Shares
Next time you miss the buss by a couple of seconds and immediately regret taking too long to pick your clothes, remember that at you're not Ronald Wayne, the man who sold the 10 percent stake of Apple that he owned for the meagre sum of 800 dollars! Had he waited many years, he could've sold it for more than 50 billion, now that's a regretful mistake.
#13. A Crooked Tower
Lake Como, the breathtaking Venice canals, the Roman Colosseum... Italy is full of iconic landmarks, and one could say that the appeal of one of those must-see sites lies in its flaw. Yes, we're talking about the Tower of Pisa. We know its curious position is fun to watch, but did you know it was supposed to be a regular, straight tower? Yep, the architects were rather surprised when they realized that the soil subsidence below the tower made it lean to the right.
#11. A Legendary Tree
When I come across one of those massive, magnificent trees that look 1000 years old I always wonder for how many decades or centuries it's been alive. Well, if Donald Rusk Currey cares about these things, we can safely assume that he regretted his actions after realizing that he had chopped down one of the most legendary trees on Earth. It had lived for 5000 years, only to be destroyed by a human.
#10. Mao's Miscalculation
Mao Zedong, or simply Mao, is probably the most famous leader in the history of China's Communist Party. He ruled the country for almost three decades, and one of the mistakes that he regretted that the most was when he decided to kill the huge flock of crows that had been feeding on the farmers' crops. However, this ended being a terrible error, for the insects that were the birds' prey were the ones who accomplished the destruction of the crops.
#9. An Avoidable Accident
Maybe you're one of those who didn't pay much attention during history classes, but regardless of that, thanks to James Cameron, Kate Winslet, Leo DiCaprio and company, everyone knows about the infamous sinking of the Titanic that occurred in 1912. What most people forget is that the whole tragedy could've been prevented if the ship officer hadn't lost the key that was needed to open the locker where he had had left his binoculars!
#8. A Massive Wildfire
Months of preoccupying droughts and extremely high temperatures provoked by global warming are usually the causes of some of the most disastrous wildfires, like the ones that have been terrorizing Australia recently. However, many Californians remember a massive wildfire that was actually caused by a man who got lost in a forest and decided to light a fire so that someone could spot his whereabouts. This decision would end up burning thousands of acres and many houses.
#7. This Man Could've Had Owned Google
When you think about it, it's funny that some of these mistakes imply positive outcomes for other people. For example, when George Bell, the CEO of Excite, refused to buy Google in 1999 for 750 grand, Larry Page and Sergey Brin were probably bummed out. But the duo that founded the search engine site would later be thankful of that negotiation's outcome, for the company's worth quickly rocketed.
#6. The Label That Said No To The Beatles
Dozens of chart topping hits like I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Ticket to Ride, several era-defining records that changes the musical landscape of the 60s, like Abbey Road and Sgt Pepper. Having a band like The Beatles is the dream of every record label, and that’s why the owners of the label Decca, who rejected the band when they auditioned in search of a record deal, probably wound up regretting this for the rest of their lives!
#5. Archduke Ferdinand's Murder
The cause of every war is complex and includes numerous factors and events, and that's also the case of WWI, but one particular incident is usually considered to be the key factor that triggered this one: the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand. The murderer was having trouble finding the Archduke, and if Ferdinand's driver would've stuck to the normal route that he always took, the heir to the throne wouldn't have been spotted. But the driver, unaware of what was going to happen, took a sudden turn and changed the world forever.
#4. Australia's Discovery
Though some historians claim that the first Europeans that arrived at Australia were the Portuguese in the 1520s, this is only a rumor. The evidence shows that the Dutch were actually the first ones, when navigator Willem Janszoon landed in 1606. For some reason the government didn't claim ownership over any territory, and the British started the first colony in 1788.
#3. This Essential Invention Was An Accident
When you think about it, it's amazing that Charles Goodyear, who was a self-taught chemist, created some of the most essential invention in modern history. In 1839, after accidentally dropping a combination of sulfur and India rubber on a stove, he discovered vulcanization, a process that's used to harden rubbers.
#2. They Rejected JK Rowling
When taking important decisions, adults sometimes have to pay attention to their kids intuition. Not one, not two, but TWELVE publishing houses missed on the opportunity of earning millions with Harry Potter. Rowling thought that her manuscript was never going to be accepted, until Bloomberg's head listened to his daughter's advice and gave her an opportunity.
#1. If Genghis Khan Offers Peace, Accept It!
Genghis Khan, who lived between the years 1162 and 1227, was one of the most feared emperors of all time. He ruthlessly conquered most of Eurasia and turned the Mongol Empire into a seemingly unbeatable force. Once, after sending a diplomat to the Khwarezmid empire to start peaceful trade links only to receive a violent rejection (the diplomat was killed) he got enraged and sent a huge army to destroy the offenders.
