10 unlikely ideas

Zeros to heroes: 10 unlikely ideas that changed the world

(Image: Hulton Deutsch Collection/Corbis)

No matter how elegant or ingenious they may at first seem, most novel scientific ideas turn out to be false. But for a remarkable few, the opposite is the case. Written off when first proposed, they turn out to be not only true but world-changing. In an era when research funding is scarce, these 10 ideas serve as a timely reminder of the value of pure science not only in terms of satisfying our curiosity, but ultimately for its endless practical uses.