Tiny Events, Massive Consequences

The butterfly effect is the idea that a tiny, random event, like a butterfly flapping its wings, can trigger massive consequences. We often think of history as a chronological and ordered set of occurrences, but when you stop to think about it, mind-blowing lines can be drawn. What if Hitler had gotten into art school, or Alexander Fleming had never noticed the mold in his petri dish? Here are 20 times a seemingly random event changed the course of history. 

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1. Hitler Being Rejected From Art School

Adolf Hitler was rejected from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna twice. Some people argue that if he were to have been accepted, the world would've gained an artist as opposed to a dictator, and WWII would've never happened.

Alexbartek on Wikimedia

2. The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand set off a chain of events that led to WWI. It was a relatively small initial event, but it triggered a complex web of alliances and diplomatic tensions. 

Ferdinand Schmutzer on Wikimedia

3. A Broadcaster's Blunder Led To The Fall Of The Berlin Wall

During a press conference, an East German official who was tired and a little rushed misread a notice about new travel regulations, mistakenly announcing that restrictions between East and West Germany were lifted immediately. This resulted in a massive crowd flocking to the wall, demanding to cross, and the unprepared guards opening the gates.

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4. Penicillin Was Discovered Because Of An Open Window

Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming accidentally left his lab window open when he went on vacation, and mold grew on a petri dish, killing the surrounding bacteria. This led to the discovery of life-saving penicillin and antibiotics.

Calibuon on Wikimedia

5. A Tornado That Won A Battle

During the War of 1812, a freak tornado ripped through the battlegrounds in British-occupied Washington, D.C., killing soldiers and damaging artillery. This helped force a British retreat.

Greg Johnson on Unsplash

6. Forgotten Key On The Titanic

An officer on the Titanic was replaced at the last minute, and he forgot to hand over the key to the locker containing binoculars, a necessary ingredient to an effective lookout. Without them, the iceberg went unnoticed for too long.

Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart on Wikimedia

7. The Soldier Who Spared Hitler's Life

During WWI, a British soldier had the chance to kill a wounded German soldier, but he felt pity and let him go. That German soldier was Adolf Hitler, and the life that was spared ended up being the cause of millions of deaths.

UnknownUnknown on Wikimedia

8. Lamborghini Was Rejected By Ferrari

A successful tractor manufacturer, Ferruccio Lamborghini, approached Enzo Ferrari to complain about the quality of his car's clutches. Ferrari's dismissal inspired Lamborghini to start his own brand in 1963.

Eloir on Wikimedia

9. Henry VIII Was Not Supposed To Be King

Henry VIII, Britain's serial divorcee who reformed the church and fathered Queen Elizabeth I, wasn't supposed to be king. Had his brother, the rightful heir to the thrown, not died of a mysterious illness, England would've probably remained Catholic and Elizabeth would've never been queen.

Unknown author on Wikimedia

10. Anne Frank's Diary Was Nearly Thrown Away

Anne Frank wrote of her experience hiding from the Nazis during WWII in her diary, and it became one of the most influential books in the world, making the horrors of the Holocaust widely known. However, it was nearly thrown out by a cleaner after the war. 

Unknown author on Wikimedia

11. The Sinking Of A Whale Ship Became Inspiration For Moby-Dick

After a ship collided with a sperm whale in Essex in 1820, the crew was left adrift and had to fight incredible hardships to survive. The story ended up being the primary inspiration for Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, one of the most famous English novels ever written. 

Augustus Burnham Shute on Wikimedia

12. An Algorithmic Error Led To Chaos Theory

The birth of the concept of the butterfly effect was itself an example of the butterfly effect. A meteorologist in the 1960s ran a weather simulation using slightly rounded numbers, and the results were completely different, leading him to create the idea of chaos theory.

Cristian V. on Wikimedia

13. Communism in Vietnam Was The Result Of A Ghosted Letter

At the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson was sent a petition and letter asking that France withdraw from Vietnam from someone who worked at the Ritz Hotel in France. That person was Ho Chi Minh, and many argue that if Wilson hadn't ignored it, Vietnam would've never become Communist and the Vietnam War would never have happened. 

Agence de presse Meurisse on Wikimedia

14. The Russo-Japanese War Was Caused By An Unsuccessful Assassination Attempt 

 While on a state visit to Japan, the man who would become Tsar Nicholas II was attacked by a Japanese policeman. He managed to escape, but the incident soured relations between Japan and Russia, partially leading to the Russo-Japanese War, which weakened Russia's economy and ultimately contributed to the Russian Revolution.

Boissonnas & Eggler on Wikimedia

15. Anime Is The Result Of American Occupation In Japan

Japanese manga and anime came about after one of the most tragic events in Japanese history, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The American soldiers occupying Japan brought over American comic books, which inspired the creator of manga to make his own version to inspire the public and help them cope with the incredibly tough post-war daily life in Japan. 

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16. Subway Trains Were Invented Because Of Horse Manure

The Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894 is said to have inspired the creation of underground trains. Cities like London and New York, which still relied on horses at the turn of the century, were experiencing problems managing the vast amounts of horse waste building up on the streets. Subways were created as a solution to the problem.

Robert Tudor on Unsplash

17. A Volcano Triggered The French Revolution

In 1783, a volcano erupted in Iceland, causing a dry fog, pollution, unusual weather patterns, and widespread famine across Europe and beyond. The economic challenges that followed are said to have contributed to the French Revolution.

Jeferson Argueta on Unsplash

18. Glass Was Invented Out Of Envy

Porcelain, a material China worked to develop and perfect for centuries, was highly coveted in Europe. As a result, Europeans tried to recreate it but instead ended up with glass. Glass became the most important invention in the field of science as it was used to make lenses, which are used in microscopy, astronomy, and navigation.

Cuong Duyen Ceramics on Unsplash

19. A Miscalculation Discovered The New World

The discovery of the New World was actually accidental. Christopher Columbus thought he had found a shorter route to India, but in fact, he was completely wrong. His arrival in the Caribbean marked a major turning point in world history. 

L. Prang & Co., Boston on Wikimedia

20. A Lightning Strike Triggered The Birth Of Hip-Hop Music 

In 1977, lightning struck an electricity line in New York City, causing a blackout and looting. People who couldn't afford turntables and mixers stole them and were able to become DJs, changing music forever. 

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