Lots of people discover chemicals, and they discover them in lots of different ways. Scientists discovered bucky balls by accident when they were looking for other kinds of new chemicals. They were doing experiments, and they were getting lots of a chemical that had 60 carbon atoms. Then they worked to figure out how 60 carbon atoms would bond together to make one molecule, and they discovered the molecule was shaped like a ball, with carbon atoms arranged like the pattern on a soccer ball! Now we know that there are lots of bucky balls in the soot from a burning candle.*

Another exciting discovery in chemistry was the molecule, benzene. Chemists discovered that benzene had 6 carbon atoms and 6 hydrogen atoms, but they couldn't figure out how the atoms would bond together into a molecule. One chemist named Kekule was half asleep and thinking about the atoms, dancing around in lines and wiggling like snakes. Then he imagined that one snake put its tail in its mouth and made a ring, and he figured out that the six carbon atoms in benzene are connected in a circle, and there is one hydrogen atom connected to each carbon atom.

A lot of people make exciting discoveries when they are day dreaming and not thinking very hard. Then they think hard about their discovery, to figure out whether it is true or not.

People most often interested in new chemicals and materials are chemists, physicists, and materials scientists. Most of these people try to make new chemicals and materials with the idea that they will achieve a new and desirable property. Sometimes along the way, unexpected chemistry happens, for better or for worse.

Although we usually start with an idea of where we want to end up, unexpected things often happen, and we can end up with surprising new products!

In a short answer, curious people discover chemicals. There are two ways this can be answered; I'll answer who discovers chemicals, and who discovers new elements. First, who discovers chemicals - or molecules? Scientists can discover different chemicals by combining smaller molecules. There are many pharmaceutical companies that make new molecules all the time to help others. Other companies will make new molecules for more environmentally friendly cleaning products. Some scientists will make new molecules just to see if they can make that molecule. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to many years to discover these new molecules. On the other hand, new elements are much more difficult to discover. Usually, Physicists, Engineers, and Chemists discover elements. When scientists originally discovered the atom (lots of the same type of atom make up an element), we already had many of them around us. Think of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, calcium, iron, and many more. All of the known elements are arranged on the periodic table. Smaller elements have smaller numbers, and have been known longer, and larger elements have larger numbers. Some very famous scientists like Marie Curie discovered elements. They did so by being curious, and studying the properties these elements have. For example, silver and copper are metals that conduct electricity, something other elements don't do. Some larger elements are man-made and they only exist for short periods of time (seconds or less). Scientists can smash two atoms together to make larger elements if it's done correctly often they have to do these experiments over and over.

Anyone can discover new chemicals. They can be found in nature, created in the laboratory, or even formed as a byproduct of technology.