Cure for cancer? Better batteries. Materials for fusion reactors. Replacement for plastic. All sorts of things.

Catalysts!

A better LSD

Which was created by accident over 70 years ago.

Since then diverse enthusiasts have pursued focused progress in many directions and have come up with numerous compounds they find worthwhile that would have not even been possible way back then.

When they can get it they still seem to prefer the same old stuff though.

And that's quite a long time and a lot of experimentation.

LSD wasn't exactly created "by accident". Hoffman already knew that molecules with a similar structure had psychoactive effects, he was trying to maximize the potency.

Was he the first one to take it and ingested it by accident?

That might be what I am mis-remembering.

>When they can get it they still seem to prefer the same old stuff though.

Brand recognition.