13. Artificial Sweeteners (Saccharin)
In 1879, while researching coal tar derivatives at Johns Hopkins University, chemist Constantin Fahlberg accidentally discovered saccharin, the first artificial sweetener. After a day in the lab, he sat down to dinner without washing his hands and noticed that his bread tasted unusually sweet. Realizing that the sweetness was due to a chemical he had been working with, Fahlberg identified it as benzoic sulfimide, which he later named saccharin. This discovery led to the development of a sugar substitute that is approximately 300 times sweeter than sucrose, revolutionizing the food industry by providing a low-calorie alternative to sugar (acs.org).
