--- title: "9 People Who Became Part of History by Coincidence" url: https://www.kickassfacts.com/people-who-became-part-of-history-by-coincidence/ date: 2024-10-18 modified: 2024-10-18 lang: en author: "Editor" description: "Most iconic figures celebrated in history achieved so much through hard work and determination. The likes of Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Mother Teresa gave their all to perfecting..." categories: - "General Knowledge" - "People" image: https://www.kickassfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/alfred-nobel.png word_count: 967 --- # 9 People Who Became Part of History by Coincidence Most iconic figures celebrated in history achieved so much through hard work and determination. The likes of Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Mother Teresa gave their all to perfecting their craft. However, there are a few individuals who achieved the legend status without putting in much work compared to those mentioned earlier. Here are random people who became part of history by mere luck or coincidence. ## 1. William Shakespeare ![](https://www.kickassfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/william-shakespeare-768x979.jpg) [William Shakespeare](https://www.kickassfacts.com/25-interesting-william-shakespeare-facts/) is recognized in history as the best English writer of all time. However, that wouldn't have been the case were it not for his two friends, Henry Condell and John Heminges. Even though Shakespeare was quite famous during his time, he was mostly known for being a dramatist. Very few of his past works had been published and would have disappeared with him after his death. In his will, Shakespeare wanted his friends to buy gold memorial rings. Instead, [John and Henry compiled Shakespeare's notes, draft books, and manuscripts into a collection dubbed The First Folio](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-guide-to-the-worlds-of-shakespeare/john-heminges-and-henry-condell/17E5331D4ED95AF9EDD0FCE4582CA9C2#:~:text=John%20Heminges%20and%20Henry%20Condell%20are%20famous%20as%20the%20compilers,known%20as%20the%20First%20Folio.), published in 1623. Without these two, the works of Shakespeare would have disappeared into oblivion. ## 2. Tsutomu Yamaguchi Popularly known as [the man who survived two nuclear atomic bombs](https://www.ndtv.com/feature/the-man-who-miraculously-survived-atomic-bombings-at-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-5651914), the story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi portrays how easily one can be in the wrong place and at the wrong time. The first nuke that hit Hiroshima found Yamaguchi inside this city. He hid in a ditch and was one of the few lucky survivors. To safeguard his life and escape the war, Yamaguchi returned to Nagasaki, where his family resided. A day later, when he was at work, the second nuke hit Nagasaki, and strangely enough, he survived to tell the tale. Even after the nuclear weapons caused severe complications for those affected, Yamaguchi went on to live until he was 93. ## 3. Gavrilo Princip If you love history, you are probably aware that [the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 is what started the First World War](https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/beginning-world-war-i). Well, the man behind all this chaos is none other than Gavrilo Princip, whose role in history was entirely coincidental. Gavrilo Princip was part of a group tasked with assassinating Franz Ferdinand. The first attempt was a failure, and Franz Ferdinand escaped. As his car was finding its way to safety, it passed by a café where Gavrilo was sitting. At that moment, Gavrilo shot and killed the Archduke. If Gavrilo had never found his way to that café, the Archduke would have been alive, and World War I might have never occurred. ## 4. Alfred Nobel One of Nobel's most crucial contributions to history occurred by pure coincidence. For years, Nobel had tried to stabilize nitroglycerin in a lab. After failing several times, he transported this compound to another lab. En route, the nitroglycerin popped because it had been absorbed by the cans made of kieselguhr. That's how Nobel created the world's first dynamite. In wars, dynamites became a better option than black powder explosives. ## 5. John Wayne ![](https://www.kickassfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/lucky.jpg) The most famous cowboy actor to ever grace the screens didn't have this line of work in mind. [John Wayne got a severe injury](https://footballfoundation.org/sports/general/roster/john-wayne/17) that forced him to leave the football pitch. While looking for odd jobs, he got a low-level stint at Fox Studios. He became friends with director John Ford, and thanks to his masculine build, John Wayne found his way into big movies such as The Big Trail and Stagecoach. ## 6. Stanislav Petrov Recognized as [the man who saved the world](https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2017-10/news-briefs/man-who-saved-world-dies-77), Stanislav Petrov prevented what would have been a severe nuclear war between Russia and the US in 1983. While being on duty for the Soviet Air Defense Forces, Stanislav came across a notification of five nuclear US missiles heading to Russia. Stanislav had two options: notify his superiors, who would order retaliation, or treat this notification as a false alarm. He decided to follow the latter, and fortunately, it was discovered that the Russian satellites had mistaken clouds for missiles. During the 1980s, the tension between the Soviets and the United States was at an all-time high. Therefore, such news would have immediately started a war. ## 7. Hiram Bingham Before discovering one of the world's seven wonders, Hiram Bingham was just an academic explorer with a history of being a soldier. However, [in 1911, while he was exploring the Inca Trails, a local farmer pointed him toward the Machu Picchu](https://www.explora.com/2022/02/04/hiram-bingham/#:~:text=Hiram%20Bingham%20(Honolulu%2C%201875%2D,in%20Berkeley%2C%20where%20he%20studied.). 11 years before, he had only studied about Latin America. This time around, he discovered one of the most mysterious places on earth. If it had not been for that farmer, Bingham would have never discovered Machu Picchu because it was well hidden. Even the Spanish conquistadors hadn't stumbled upon it after spending time in Peru. ## 8. Henrietta Lacks Henrietta Lacks is one of the many women who lost their lives in the 1950s to cervical cancer. However, there was something special about her. When doctors took Henrietta's cells at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, they discovered [her cells were immortal.](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02494-z) That is, they could reproduce and survive; doctors called them the HeLa cells. Ever since, they have been researched and involved in various medical fields, such as cancer and immunity. HeLa cells have even been used in the formulation of Covid-19 vaccines. Unfortunately, doctors didn't get consent from Henrietta to use her cells for research. ## 9. Charles Darwin ![](https://www.kickassfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charles-darwin-768x1011.jpg) Charles Darwin, popularly known as the father of evolution, wasn't always so skeptical about religion. Actually, during his youth days, Darwin wanted to become a clergyman. Therefore, he attended the University of Cambridge and attained a Bachelor of Arts Degree, including some Anglican Theology education. His obsession with evolution started when Captain Robert FitzRoy invited Darwin on a voyage to South America. Captain Robert's choice was almost coincidental. Darwin might have never been interested in evolution if it hadn't happened.