Letters Archive

In 1998, a group of fifth graders solved the exact same puzzles but got very different results. The only difference? A few simple words of praise, which changed not just how long they kept trying, but their entire approach to challenges.

In 1856, a teenage scientist tried to cure malaria but ended up with a sticky purple mess. That failed experiment changed fashion forever, showing how paying attention to "mistakes" can lead to world-changing discoveries.

Five thousand years ago, someone looked at spoiled milk and decided to taste it. That brave (or desperate) choice led to one of humanity's most important food discoveries, teaching us that sometimes the best inventions start with "mistakes."

Can melting ice cream be better than frozen? A broken truck on a sweltering day in 1934 led to a discovery that changed how millions of people enjoy their favorite summer treat.

What if there was a library that contained every book that could ever be written - even the ones that haven't been written yet? A mysterious digital library reveals how creativity works in unexpected ways.

What if running out of dishes at a busy fair led to one of the most popular ways to eat ice cream? A quick-thinking vendor and a creative waffle maker turned a problem into a delicious solution that changed how we enjoy ice cream forever.

How do you convince people to change when nobody will listen? Florence Nightingale discovered that sometimes numbers tell a story more powerful than words ever could.

How could a cook who never felt sick make hundreds of people ill? The story of Mary Mallon changed how we think about spreading germs and showed that our actions can affect others in ways we can't see.