A link between earthquakes and epilepsy?

In a further example of how you can never predict where science will take you, researchers are now using earthquakes predictions to help predict epilepsy.

My personal favourite is still the example of Japanese researchers who were studying the origins of life - considered an esoteric, pure science field - and discovered an efficient way of producing fertiliser!

Another good story is told in the book Mauve where a chemist studying malaria discovered an artificial colour, and to the disgust of his peers (who had also produced colours as by-products) went commercial. Almost ironically, years later artificial colourants in cellular biology lead to better knwoledge of malaria :)

Can anyone else think of examples where science has led to unexpected turns?

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