Special Episode from Who Smarted?

Summary

Story Pirates Podcast: Special Episode from Who Smarted?
Release Date: April 9, 2025

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Introduction

In this special crossover episode of the award-winning Story Pirates podcast, the creative team collaborates with the educational science and history podcast Who Smarted? to explore the fascinating world of accidental inventions. Hosted by Trusty, a charismatic narrator from Who Smarted?, and Mrs. Fox, a spirited sixth-grade science teacher, the episode delves into how some of our favorite everyday items were discovered by happy accidents.

Setting the Stage: The Science Fair

The episode kicks off with Trusty being invited to judge a local elementary school’s science fair, which has the intriguing theme of "Accidental Inventions" (02:42). Trusty expresses his initial uncertainty about what constitutes an accidental invention, prompting Mrs. Fox to explain the concept further.

Trusty:
"But what exactly is an accidental invention? And what are some of the most famous accidental inventions? And are there any accidental inventions that are part of your everyday life?" (02:42)

Exploring Accidental Inventions

Throughout the episode, Trusty and Mrs. Fox guide listeners through a series of engaging segments, each highlighting a different accidental invention. They incorporate interactive elements, such as quizzes and hints, to keep the audience engaged.

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies

The first accidental invention discussed is the beloved chocolate chip cookie. Mrs. Fox narrates the story of Ruth Wakefield, who, in 1930, unintentionally created the treat when she added broken semi-sweet chocolate pieces to cookie dough, expecting them to melt but instead leaving delightful chunks (05:32).

Mrs. Fox:
"Ruth Wakefield was baking chocolate cookies when she realized she was out of Baker's chocolate. So she broke semi sweetened chocolate into small pieces and added them to the dough. And just like that, the chocolate chip cookie was born." (05:47)

Trusty:
"I can't believe so many food favorites were invented by accident." (10:04)

2. Ice Cream Cones

Next, the duo explores how ice cream cones came to be. They recount Ernest A. Hanewie's ingenious solution at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, where he rolled a zalabia (a type of waffle) into a cone shape to serve ice cream when bowls ran out (07:05).

Trusty:
"What do you think an accidental invention is? [...] The answer is A, an invention that came about unintentionally." (04:33)

Mrs. Fox:
"Ernest A. Hanewie came to the rescue by rolling his zalabia, or waffle, into a cone shape and topping it with a scoop of ice cream. And just like that, the ice cream cone was born." (07:05)

3. Popsicles

The conversation then shifts to popsicles, invented by an 11-year-old, Frank Epperson, in 1905. By leaving a mixture of soda water powder and water outside overnight with a stirring stick, Epperson inadvertently created the first popsicle when the mixture froze (09:01).

Mrs. Fox:
"In 1905, one year after the accidental invention of the ice cream cone, 11-year-old Frank Epperson mixed soda water powder and water. He left the mixture on his back porch overnight, and what he found in the morning became the first popsicle." (09:15)

Trusty:
"Were popsicles invented by A, a chef, B, an ice cream truck driver, or C, a kid? If you said they were invented by a chef, you're wrong. Sorry." (09:01)

4. Potato Chips

Potato chips were created when George Crum, a chef in Saratoga Springs, New York, frustrated with a customer's preference for thin and crispy fried potatoes, sliced them exceptionally thin and fried them until crispy, inadvertently pleasing the customer and revolutionizing snack foods (10:43).

Mrs. Fox:
"A frustrated chef named George Crum sliced the potatoes super thin, added salt and fried them until crispy. To his surprise, the customer loved them, and the rest is chip history." (10:37)

5. Frisbees

The Frisbee originated from pie tins used by students at Yale University’s Frisbee bakery. When the pies were tossed back and forth after being eaten, the owners recognized the potential for a flying disc toy (12:19).

Trusty:
"Is it named after the person who invented it, the town where it was invented, or a bakery?" (12:05)

Mrs. Fox:
"The Frisbee is named after a bakery. After the students finished eating the pie, they tossed the tin back and forth. What started as a pie tin became the plastic Frisbee disc we love to throw around today." (12:19)

6. Silly Putty

Silly Putty was born when James Wright, an engineer at General Electric, accidentally mixed boric acid with silicon oil in 1944, creating a stretchy, bouncy substance. Initially deemed useless, it was later marketed by Peter Hodgson in 1949 as a popular children’s toy (12:35).

Mrs. Fox:
"In 1944, an engineer named James Wright worked with silicon at General Electric. One day, he added boric acid to silicon oil, making a gooey substance that bounces. But then, in 1949, a man named Peter Hodgson had the idea to put it in plastic eggs, call it Silly Putty, and sell it as a toy." (12:28 and 13:05)

Trusty:
"Fun fact: the astronauts on Apollo 8 played with silly Putty when they got bored." (13:21)

7. Slinky

The Slinky was invented accidentally in 1943 by Richard James, an engineer who was developing torsion springs for the Navy. Observing a falling spring's graceful motion, he and his wife Betty created a toy that became an instant hit, selling out 400 units in 90 minutes at Gimbel's store (13:35).

Mrs. Fox:
"In 1943, Richard James was working on developing torsion springs for the Navy. After watching a spring walk down the stairs, he decided to create a fun toy spring. They named it Slinky, and by November 1945, it was ready as a holiday present." (13:41)

Trusty:
"Do you think people wanted to buy the Slinky? [...] They sold out in 90 minutes." (14:51)

Interactive Learning and Engagement

Throughout the episode, Trusty engages the young audience with multiple-choice questions, encouraging them to guess the inventions' origins before revealing the answers. This interactive approach not only makes learning fun but also reinforces the concept of accidental discoveries.

Trusty:
"Smarty pants, guess where I am. Did you say? I have no idea. Yeah, this game might be more fair with a few hints." (00:02)

Mrs. Fox:
"Because we thought if we put casual observer on the invite, you wouldn't come." (03:31)

Conclusion: Celebrating Accidental Genius

As the episode wraps up, Trusty reflects on the incredible impact of accidental inventions, highlighting how unintentional discoveries can lead to beloved products and cultural staples. The hosts express admiration for the inventors who turned mistakes into successes, inspiring young listeners to embrace curiosity and creativity.

Trusty:
"Wow. I am glad I'm not a judge. It would be too hard to pick or eat just one." (15:17)

Credits and Acknowledgments

The episode concludes with heartfelt shout-outs to young fans and detailed credits to the creative team behind the scenes, including writers, voice actors, technical directors, and producers. Special mentions are given to contributors like Eli and Copeland from Bennetsville, South Carolina, who are avid listeners.

Credits:
"This episode, Accidental Inventions was written by Smart Slinky Sarah Sweetick and voiced by Diana Helen Kennedy, Adam Frisbee Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound designed by Josh Hahn. Our associate producer is Max Waffle Cone Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Silly Putty Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production." (15:11)

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Key Takeaways

• Accidental Inventions: Many beloved products originated from unintended discoveries or solutions to unexpected problems.

• Creativity and Persistence: The stories emphasize the importance of creativity, persistence, and openness to unexpected outcomes in the innovation process.

• Educational Engagement: The interactive format of quizzes and hints effectively engages young listeners, making science and history both fun and memorable.

Notable Quotes

• Trusty (02:42):
  "But what exactly is an accidental invention? And what are some of the most famous accidental inventions?"

• Mrs. Fox (05:47):
  "And just like that, the chocolate chip cookie was born."

• Trusty (10:04):
  "I can't believe so many food favorites were invented by accident."

• Mrs. Fox (07:05):
  "And just like that, the ice cream cone was born."

• Trusty (09:01):
  "If you said they were invented by a chef, you're wrong. Sorry."

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This special episode of Story Pirates in collaboration with Who Smarted? serves as an inspiring reminder that innovation often thrives on unexpected turns, encouraging young minds to remain curious and open to the wonders of discovery.

Transcript

[Lee]

Hey, story pirates. Podcast listeners, Lee here. If you love laughing and learning about pretty much anything, you need to check out the podcast. Who Smarted? On every episode of who Smarted, the trusty narrator takes curious kids on epic adventures of discovery to learn about science and history. With the help of time travel apps and other cool inventions, he can go backwards or forwards in time, or shrink himself down to explore inside the human body, or visit another planet. There's nowhere in the universe the trusty narrator can't take you to visit and learn about. Episodes are about 15 minutes long, which is the perfect length for car rides, mealtimes, break times, or bedtime. And like all of my favorite podcasts, this show is geared towards kids, but can be enjoyed by the entire family. As a picky eater myself, I liked the episode, why are some kids and adults Picky Eaters? So if you know a curious kid or you're curious yourself, you are going to want to introduce them to WhoSmarted. WhoSmarted is available on all major podcast platforms. Search for WhoSmarted on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. And keep listening, because we're going to drop an episode for you to hear right now.

[Trusty]

And now it's time for who's Smarted? Psst. Hey, smarty pants. Guess where I am. Did you say? I have no idea. Yeah, this game might be more fair with a few hints. Okay, hint one, I'm at a school. Hint two, it's a special day when kids present science projects. Hint three, when I said this game would be more fair with some hints, that was actually a hint. Okay, what do you got? Did you say I'm at a science fair? Great guess, smarties. This year, yours truly was invited to be a guest judge for the science fair in my local elementary school. After all, who's Smarted is a science podcast, so it makes sense they would ask me. Well, that and nobody else was available at 11am on a Tuesday. Anyway, this year, all the science fair presentations have a special theme. Accidental Inventions. Whoa, whoa. Hey, look. I just invented a laser toothbrush. No, no, no, no, no, no. That's not what an accidental invention is. Oh. But what exactly is an accidental invention? And what are some of the most famous accidental inventions? And are there any accidental inventions that are part of your everyday life?

[Lee]

I don't know.

[Trusty]

Well, then, listen and learn as we find out the answers to these questions and more as we take another big whiff of science and history on who's Smarted. Who's Smarted? Who's Smart is It you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun, but who's smarted? Wow. I just took a lap around the gym and I must say, there are a lot of cool projects here. It's gonna be hard to pick just one winner.

[Mrs. Fox]

That's okay, trusty. This fair isn't so much about picking a winner and more about presenting some great projects and some interesting science and history.

[Trusty]

Oh, but then why was I invited to judge?

[Mrs. Fox]

Because we thought if we put casual observer on the invite, you wouldn't come.

[Trusty]

Ah, pretty sneaky, Mrs. Fox. Smartypants, meet Mrs. Fox. She's the sixth grade science teacher at this school and an old friend who loves to outsmart me.

[Mrs. Fox]

Nah, there's no outsmarting you. But this way we all get to smart together.

[Trusty]

Good point. So let's talk about this year's theme. What made you choose accidental Inventions?

[Mrs. Fox]

Well, as it turns out, there are lots of inventions, discoveries, and even food recipes that were purely accidental. I thought it would be cool to show that even mistakes can sometimes lead to something great.

[Trusty]

Ah, that is cool. Okay, Smartypants, with all that in mind, what do you think an accidental invention is? Is it A, an invention that came about unintentionally, B, an invention that causes accidents, or C, an invention that does not work? Well, the answer is A, an invention or discovery that came about unintentionally or by accident. Whoa. Whoa.

[Mrs. Fox]

Oh look.

[Trusty]

A new kind of chewing gum. No, not that kind of accident. Mrs. Fox, can you please explain to the smarty pants?

[Mrs. Fox]

Sure, it may seem like all inventions were created on purpose, or that all new discoveries were the result a scientist or inventor set out to make. But that's not always the case.

[Trusty]

Oh, and speaking of cases, I'm staring at a display case here fit filled with something that looks downright delicious. Smartypants, see if you can guess what it is. It's small, round, has little chocolate pieces in it, and gets eaten by a monster who sounds like this. If you said chocolate chip cookies, you're right. Not that I'm complaining, but why are there chocolate chip cookies here? Oh wait, is this the snack bar?

[Mrs. Fox]

No, trustee. Believe it or not, even though chocolate chip cookies are a super popular treat, they're actually the result of a cooking accident.

[Trusty]

No, seriously.

[Mrs. Fox]

Seriously. Chocolate chip cookies were accidentally invented by ruth Wakefield in 1930.

[Trusty]

OK, but what does that even mean? Was she trying to make chocolate chip pancakes instead?

[Lee]

Close.

[Mrs. Fox]

Ish. You see, Ruth Wakefield was baking chocolate cookies when she realized she was out of Baker's chocolate. So she broke semi sweetened chocolate into small pieces and added them to the dough. But instead of melting and being absorbed by the dough to make chocolate cookies, as she expected, the small pieces remained as little chunks or chips. And just like that, the chocolate chip cookie was born. Whoa.

[Trusty]

Ah, I see. And now people all over the world get to enjoy her cooking accident. Speaking of, can I please have a cookie?

[Mrs. Fox]

Okay, but just one. Remember, this is someone's project.

[Trusty]

No problem. Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom.

[Mrs. Fox]

Bup.

[Trusty]

Okay, what's next? Please tell me there are more tasty accidents to try.

[Mrs. Fox]

There are. This next one isn't a food you usually eat by itself, but rather you use it to hold another popular dessert treat and then eat it afterwards.

[Trusty]

Hmm, that's a tricky one. What do you think, smarty pants? Any ideas what it could be? Yeah, I'm stumped, too. Can you give us any more hints, Mrs. Fox?

[Mrs. Fox]

Sure. It was accidentally invented in 1904. And the food that goes inside it is ice cream.

[Trusty]

Ooh, I think I know what it is, Smarty pants. Are you thinking of a shape right now? Is that shape a cone?

[Mrs. Fox]

That's right. Ice cream cones were invented accidentally.

[Trusty]

Smartypants. How did people eat ice cream before the ice cream cone was invented? Did they eat it from A, a traffic cone, B, with their hands, or C in a bowl? Did you say C from a bowl? If so, nice job. So how did people go from enjoying ice cream bowls to ice cream cones?

[Mrs. Fox]

It all started at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis with a man named Ernest A. Hamwy, who had a zealabius stand.

[Trusty]

Ah, sorry. What say Zalabia, Smarty pants? Do you have any idea? Yeah, me neither.

[Mrs. Fox]

Zalabia is a type of waffle. Ernest's stand was near another vendor's ice cream stand. It was a hot day, so lots of people wanted ice cream. But then tragedy struck. Huh? The ice cream venture ran out of bowls. But not to worry. Ernest A. Hanwee came to the rescue by rolling his zalabia, or waffle, into a cone shape and topping it with a scoop of ice cream. And just like that, the ice cream cone was born.

[Trusty]

Amazing. Hey, smarty pants, maybe next time you run out of bowls or plates, you can invent something, too. Oh, is that another popular summer treat I see?

[Mrs. Fox]

It sure is trusty. This one comes on a stick, is something you lick, and can usually be found in different fruit flavors. Oh, and here's one more musical hint.

[Lee]

Pop goes the weasel.

[Trusty]

Did you Say pop, as in popsicles.

[Mrs. Fox]

That's right. Popsicles were an accidental invention too.

[Trusty]

Smarty pants. Were popsicles invented by A, a chef, B, an ice cream truck driver, or C, a kid? If you said they were invented by a chef, you're wrong. Sorry.

[Mrs. Fox]

While this might sound surprising, popsicles were actually invented by a kid. Whoa. In 1905, one year after the accidental invention of the ice cream cone, 11 year old Frank Epperson mixed so soda water powder, a popular drink at the time, and water. He left the mixture on his back porch overnight with a stirring stick still in it. The temperature dropped to a record low that night, and what he found in the morning became the first popsicle.

[Trusty]

Very cool in more ways than one.

[Mrs. Fox]

Eighteen years later, in 1923, Frank Epperson remembered his frozen soda water and started a business making what he called Epic in seven fruit flavors. Even though the name was eventually changed to popsicles, we still enjoy this same frozen treat today.

[Trusty]

I can't believe so many food favorites were invented by accident.

[Mrs. Fox]

But wait, there's more.

[Trusty]

Oh, boy. We'll find out what this one is right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors. Now back to who Smarted? Where were we?

[Mrs. Fox]

I was about to feed you facts about another accidentally invented food, one that Americans spend nearly $4 billion on each year. Any guesses what it could be, smarty pants?

[Trusty]

Is it A, potato chips, B, hamburgers, or C, pizza?

[Mrs. Fox]

While those are all good guesses, the food in question is the potato chip.

[Trusty]

Oh. We actually covered the history of the potato chip on a past episode of who Smarted? But the short version is, a customer at the Cary Moonlake house in Saratoga Springs, New York, kept sending back his plate of fried potatoes. It seems they weren't thin and crispy enough. Annoyed but wanting to give the customer what he wanted, a frustrated chef named George Crum sliced the potatoes super thin, added salt and fried them until crispy.

[Mrs. Fox]

To his surprise, the customer loved them, and the rest is chip history.

[Trusty]

It's a good thing he decided to make potato chips for his demanding customer instead of serving something disgusting instead. Who wants meat cake? Oof. Some mistakes should not be celebrated. Anyway, we've learned about a lot of accidentally invented foods, but what about other fun things that were invented by accident?

[Mrs. Fox]

Trustee. Catch.

[Trusty]

Um, why did you just throw this thin disk like object at me?

[Mrs. Fox]

Because it too was an accidental invention, smartypants.

[Trusty]

Do you know what it is? Is it A, a flying potato chip, B, a dinner plate, or C, a frisbee? The answer is C, a frisbee. Here, catch.

[Mrs. Fox]

Oh, nice throw, Trusty. Obviously you've thrown a Frisbee before.

[Trusty]

Yep, I love tossing the old Frisbee around in the park.

[Mrs. Fox]

Cool. But do you know where the name Frisbee came from?

[Trusty]

Hmm. What do you think, smarty pants? Is the frisbee named after the person who invented it, the town where it was invented, or a bakery?

[Mrs. Fox]

Surprisingly, the frisbee is named after a bakery.

[Trusty]

But why? It's not a food.

[Mrs. Fox]

A bakery. Near Yale University, the Frisbee bakery sold pies in tins. After the students finished eating the pie.

[Trusty]

Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom.

[Mrs. Fox]

They tossed the tin back and forth. What started as a pie tin became the plastic Frisbee disc we love to throw around today.

[Trusty]

Sweet. But I do wish you still got a pie every time you bought a Frisbee. Oh, I see. Another toy I used to love playing with as a young narrator. Here's a hint. It's pretty silly. Oh, and it's also very stretchy and comes inside a plastic egg. Give up. Why, it's none other than silly putty.

[Mrs. Fox]

In 1944, an engineer named James Wright worked with silicon at General Electric. One day, he added boric acid to silicon oil, making a gooey substance that bounce.

[Trusty]

And everyone loved it right away, right?

[Mrs. Fox]

Nope. People had no use for it, so it was forgotten about for a while. But then, in 1949, a man named Peter Hodgson had the idea to put it in plastic eggs, call it Silly Putty, and sell it as a toy. From there, it took off.

[Trusty]

Oh, yeah. I loved playing with Silly Putty. Still do. But I'm not alone, smarty pants. Fun fact. The astronauts on Apollo 8 played with silly Putty when they got bored and used it to keep tools from floating around after they left Earth's gravity.

[Mrs. Fox]

Of course, Silly Putty isn't the only famous toy that's an accidental invention.

[Trusty]

Smarty pants, which of these toys do you think was an accidental invention? Is it A, a yo yo, B, a Slinky, or C, a Rubik's Cube? The answer is, everyone knows it's Slinky. That's right. If you said slinky. Nice job.

[Mrs. Fox]

In 1943, Richard James, an engineer for the United States Navy, was working on developing torsion springs that could keep sensitive equipment steady at sea. When one of the springs fell. Richard watched as it moved curiously across the floor. He recognized something special was happening when he arrived home. He showed the crawling spring to his wife, Betty. They gave it to their son, Tom. He let it go at the top of the stairs.

[Trusty]

Sounds like it was fun for the whole family.

[Mrs. Fox]

It was. After watching it watch walked down the stairs, Richard decided to work on developing a fun toy spring. It just needed a clever name. Betty looked through a dictionary for two days, trying to find a word that was both fun and descriptive. They settled on Slinky.

[Trusty]

Oh, way more fun than torsion spring.

[Mrs. Fox]

By November 1945, the Slinky was ready to be introduced in stores as a holiday present.

[Trusty]

So, Smartypants, do you think people wanted to buy the Slinky? Go ahead, shout out your answer, Mrs. Fox. What happened next?

[Mrs. Fox]

A store called Gimbel's had 400 Slinkies to sell. They sold out in 90 minutes. And while not as popular as it once was, kids all around the world still play with Slinkys today.

[Trusty]

Everyone knows it's Slinky.

[Mrs. Fox]

And that's our Accidental Invention themed science fair.

[Trusty]

Wow. I am glad I'm not a judge. It would be too hard to pick or eat just one. A double dose of shout outs to smarty duo Eli and Copeland in Bennetsville, South Carolina. We hear you love listening to who Smarted in the car after school every day. Nice. We're so happy to have you both smarting with us, Smartypants. This episode, Accidental Inventions was written by Smart Slinky Sarah Sweetick and voiced by Diana Helen Kennedy, Adam Frisbee Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound designed by Josh Hahn. Our associate producer is Max Waffle Cone Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Silly Putty Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production. Who's Smarted.