Unit 3 Unexpected discoveries

Choose a statement that you think the hosts of the podcast would not agree with.

• Some inventors have different ways of thinking.

• Anyone can learn to think more creatively.

•  Inventions are about 90 percent accidental.

• Serendipity is probably only a small part of the process of invention.

What is the theme of the show?

• Serendipity

• Invention

• Opportunity

• Luck

What incident led Percy Spencer to explore the potential of microwaves?

• He read about microwaves in a scientific journal.

• He was inspired by a colleague's idea.

• He accidentally discovered a melted chocolate bar in his pocket.

• He received a government grant for microwave research.

Why is it mentioned that Percy Spencer's invention wasn't purely serendipity?

• Other people had similar experiences with microwaves.

• He had prior knowledge of microwaves.

• He was extremely lucky in his experiments.

• He had government funding for his project.

What are the two specific ways of thinking that people like Percy Spencer possess, according to the co-host?

• Focusing on goals and multitasking

• Specialized knowledge and expertise

• Critical thinking and analytical skills

• Divergent thinking and noticing things they weren't looking for

What does the co-host mean by "divergent thinking"?

• Thinking in a linear, goal-oriented manner

• Thinking outside the box and coming up with multiple solutions

• Focusing solely on the task at hand

• Being narrowly focused on one idea

How can individuals improve their chances of experiencing serendipity, according to the co-host?

• By avoiding distractions

• By practicing divergent thinking and noticing things

• By setting more specific goals

• By relying solely on luck

He realized that the microwaves had done it. That made him think—wow— maybe microwaves could be useful, not just for his government project but for something else."

• Spencer realized he was going to make a lot of money.

• Spencer thought microwaves would be useful in cooking.

• Spencer thought microwaves would be useful in cooking.

"Some people call it serendipity, but it turns out that it’s a bit more than just good luck. First, they notice things that they were not looking for. A lot of us focus so much on our goals that we tune out everything else."

• Spencer knew the value of serendipity.

• Divergent thinkers are often unsuccessful.

• We lose opportunities when we focus too much on goals.