An 11-year-old boy invented the popsicle by accident in 1905 when he left a drink outside overnight.

In 1905, Frank Epperson lived in Oakland, California. During a cold night, the temperature dropped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This caused the water in his drink to lose heat and turn from a liquid into a solid. This process is called freezing.The wooden stick in the cup gave the ice crystals a place to grip as they formed. This created a solid structure that stayed attached to the handle. Epperson originally called his invention the Epsicle. He began selling the treats at an amusement park in 1922.He received a patent for his idea in 1924. His children eventually convinced him to change the name to Popsicle because they called them Pop's sicles. Epperson later sold the rights to the product to the Joe Lowe Company.Today, people in the United States buy more than 2 billion popsicles every year. Cherry was one of the original flavors and is still the most popular choice. This invention shows how a simple mistake can lead to a famous product used worldwide.