According to the oxford english dictionary the word serendipity was coined by horace walpole in a letter to his friend sir horace mann in january 1754 he explained that he had based it on . Last year i was asked to write a chapter on innovation for an encyclopedia of medicinal chemistry i wish morton meyers book happy accidents had appeared then for it would have made my job infinitely easier and much more pleasant for while we all know that a few medical breakthroughs have occurred by serendipity by mistakes and by loners who fought domineering dogmas meyers book stuns . From happy accidents serendipity in modern medical breakthroughs by morton meyers a book that just came out it is a must read please go buy it read it twice not once although the author does not take my drastic stochastic tinkering approach he provides all kind of empirical evidence for the role of design. Happy accidents serendipity in modern medical breakthroughs when scientists find what theyre not looking for by morton a meyers md is exactly what the title touts many medical breakthroughs are a matter of being at the right place at the right time or as louis pasteur is quoted to have said in the field of observation chance favors the prepared mind. Serendipity please be alert to new ideas and happenings and keep your imagination roaming as dr meyers has insisted kyung soo lee md editor in chief korean journal of radiology happy accidents serendipity in modern medical breakthroughs morton a meyers md new york ny arcade publishing 2007 isbn 978 1 55970 819 7 hardcover