In 2014, Canadian scientists concluded that human urine contains at least 3,079 different compounds. Their study took them seven years.

In 1600, Johannes Kepler bet a rival astronomer that he could derive an equation for the solar orbit of Mars in eight days. It took him five years.

"Smartdust" was discovered after a PhD chemistry student accidentally shattered a silicon chip and noticed that tiny bits were still sending signals and operating as tiny sensors.

When a DuPont scientist saw odd instrument readings while experimenting with CFC refrigerants, he cut a pressure bottle in half and found a slippery residue. It was soon commercialized—as Teflon.

In 2011, a Swedish man was arrested and charged with unauthorised possession of nuclear material after trying to split atoms in his kitchen. He claimed that it was merely a hobby.

In 2009, Stephen Hawking announced experimental evidence that time travel is impossible. On June 28th, he said, "I gave a party for time-travellers, but I didn't send out the invitations until after the party. I sat there a long time, but no one came."

During a lecture, Stephen Hawking recalled the experience of having a "Eureka" moment. "I wouldn't compare it to sex," he said, "but it lasts longer!"

A 10-year-old was listed as a co-author in a paper on tetranitratoxycarbon after she created it with the ball-and-stick chemistry kits that a 5th-grade science teacher gave to his class.

In 2016, scientists solved a mystery about bison, which seemed to have appeared out of thin air 11,000 years ago. DNA sequencing showed that cows and steppe bison created a hybrid species 120,000 years ago. Taking a cue from particle physicists' discovery of the "Higgs Boson," they called the hybrid the "Higgs Bison."

In 2010, Jennifer McCreight recruited 100,000 women to test an Iranian cleric's claim that racy clothing causes earthquakes. The quakes during their "Boobquake" were weaker than average. Maybe, said McCreight, God likes hot pants.