Some other elements, including tin and phosphorus, also have two or more allotropes. The discovery of Fullerenes and nanotubes began by accident in 1944 when Otto Hahn observed carbon chains during experiments aimed at creating heavier atoms from lighter ones by getting them to absorb neutrons. Since he was not interested in the carbon chains he made note of them and went on with the main line of his research. The Discovery of Fullerenes also mentions some other examples of serendipitous scientific discoveries, and there are many more. The Discovery of Fullerenes illustrates some important aspects of the process of scientific discovery that are at odds with the popular conception of the lone scientist arriving at a brilliant discovery.
Most scientific research is now a team effort.
Bernd Eggen, the author of our article, was a member of a team of researchers led by Professor Sir Harry Kroto of Sussex University. But this was not the only team working on Fullerenes. A group led by Professors Robert F. Curl, Jr. and Richard E. Smalley of Rice University made the discovery at about the same time as the Sussex team. The three scientists shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. There are other instances of parallel discoveries in science.