Cotton candy was accidentally invented in 1897 by a dentist trying to make hard candy!
Dr. William Morrison was experimenting with melted sugar when his heating device malfunctioned and started spinning the sugar instead of molding it into shapes.
The spinning sugar created thin strands that stuck together in a fluffy mass. Instead of throwing it away, Morrison tasted it and realized he'd created something completely new!
Morrison partnered with confectioner John Wharton to perfect the process and introduced their "Fairy Floss" at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.
Cotton candy was an instant hit - they sold 65,655 boxes at the fair for the enormous price of 25 cents each (equivalent to about $8 today).
The original machine was hand-cranked and incredibly difficult to operate. Modern electric cotton candy machines weren't invented until the 1920s.
Different countries call it different names: "fairy floss" in Australia, "candy floss" in the UK, and "papa's beard" in France.
One serving of cotton candy contains less sugar than a can of soda - it's mostly air and food coloring!
So this carnival staple exists because a dentist accidentally broke his candy-making equipment and created edible sugar clouds!