Mnoga važna otkrića i umjetnička ostvarenja tijekom povijesti pojavila su se autorima u snovima. Melodiju za hit “Yesterday” grupe Beatles sanjao je Paul McCartney 1965. godine i od tada do danas postala je najobrađivanija pop pjesma. Izvedena je više od sedam milijuna puta u dvadesetom stoljeću. Redatelj James Cameron je glavnog junaka filmskog serijala Terminator sanjao dok je bolestan boravio u Rimu. U vrućici vidio je metalnu figuru kako se diže iz plamena. Metalni skelet s jarko crvenim očima.

Najpoznatija teorija Albert Einsteina, ona o relativnosti, inspirirana je snom. Sanjao je da silazi niz planinu sve brže i brže dok se pritom mijenjao izgled zvijezda što se više približavao brzini svjetlosti. Spoj benzen koji služi za proizvodnju lijekova, boja, lakova, plastike, eksploziva, sredstava za pranje i pesticida usnio je kemičar Friedrich August Kekulé. Njegov san o zmiji koja grize svoj rep doveo ga je do rješenja pisanja strukture benzena koju umjesto linearno zapisuje ciklički (tzv. benzenov prsten).

Uvažena autorica Mary Shelly za svoje djelo Frankenstein inspiraciju je pronašla sanjajući. Elias Howe izumio je moderni šivaći stroj pomoću čudnog sna koji je usnuo 1845. Sanjao je pleme koje ga je zarobilo i dok su plesali oko njega primijetio je da njihova koplja imaju rupu i pokret koplja u plesu podsjetilo ga je na iglu mašine koja putuje gore dolje. Kada se probudio napravio je iglu s rupom na vrhu kroz koju je proveo konac i tako omogućio mehaničko šivanje koje koristimo i danas. James Watson na svojem predavanju ispričao je kako je sanjajući spiralno stubište došao do ideje za dvostruku zavojnicu DNA. Što je za rezultat imalo ne samo ogromni napredak u znanosti nego i to da mu je 1962. uručena Nobelova nagrada.

Many important discoveries and artistic achievements throughout history have appeared in the dreams of the authors. The melody for the hit ‘Yesterday’ by the Beatles came to Paul McCartney in a dream in 1965 and since then has become the most covered pop song in history. It was performed over seven million times in the 20th century. A movie director, James Cameron, has crafted the story of The Terminator based on a dream he had while sick with a fever in Rome. He has seen the metal figure emerging from the flames. The most famous theory of Albert Einstein, the theory of relativity, was inspired by a dream whereby he was hurtling down a mountainside. He speed faster and faster upon which he looked to the sky and saw the stars were altered in appearance as he approached the speed of light.The German chemist, Friedrich August Kekule, was trying to figure out the structure of the compound benzene, which is used to produce medicines, paints, varnishes, plastics, explosives, detergents and pesticides. His dream of a snake biting its own tail led him to the solution that the Benzene molecule had a circular structure rather than a linear one (i.e. Benzene ring). A distinguished author, Mary Shelley, has found inspiration for her Frankestein in a dream. Elias Howe has invented the modern sewing machine with the help of a strange dream he had in 1845. He had a dream of the tribe that captured him. While they danced around him, he noticed that their spears have a hole and movement of spears reminded him of the needle of the machines that travels up and down. When he woke up he made a needle with a hole at the top through which he conducted a thread thus enabling mechanical sewing that we use today. In his lecture James Watson reported stumbling upon the double helix image for the DNA chain through his dream of a spiral staircase. His work resulted in major scientific advances and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962.