Serendipity

In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. No matter that ancient Egyptians and Native Americans had been using moldy bread to fight infections for centuries. Fleming got dibs on penicillin.
Ben Franklin discovered electricity by flying a kite in a lightning storm. In this case, when we say "discover," what we really mean is "narrowly avoided electrocution." You can try this same experiment on any golf course when you've got your nine iron out and the rain clouds begin to roll in.
There is great debate as to who, exactly, discovered aspirin. Some say that Nazis made sure that the Jewish scientist who developed it first didn't get any credit, giving that honor to a good German who worked for the Bayer company instead. Ancient Greeks and those always-patient Native Americans don't make a fuss about the fact that they have been chewing on the organic equivalent, willow bark, for more than a thousand years before that.
I've made some of my own discoveries as well. I discovered that if I use Listerine both in the morning and before I go to bed, I can significantly reduce the amount of plaque and tartar buildup on my teeth and gums. On my run Sunday morning, I discovered a new housing development going up just over the hill from my house. It looked like they were pretty far along, so I didn't bother to suggest that they put my name on it.
Well now Columbus he discovered America even though he hadn't planned on it
He got lost and woke up one morning when he's about to land on it
- Bruce Springsteen, "Stand On It"