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Sometimes an accidental creation can lead you to your next big idea, and that’s exactly what happened to aerospace engineer, Lonnie Johnson.

While trying to find a new way to cool down heat pumps using water, he inadvertently invented one of our most beloved toys — the Super Soaker. According to The New York Times, he “hooked up to the sink a prototype cooling device.”

”I turned and shot into the bathtub,” he recalled. The blast was so powerful that the whoosh of accompanying air set the bathroom curtains flying. ”I said to myself, ‘Jeez, this would make a great water gun.’ ”

Super Soakers are the best-selling water guns of all time, and it’s brought him a lot of cash. The toys have generated him almost over $200 million.

Next time you pull that trigger, think about where it came from. You just might get your next idea…

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#OurMoments: Who Doesn’t Love Super Soakers?  was originally published on giantlife.com