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Book 26, Question 3 · Video

How did a moldy dish lead to the first antibiotic?

Video · 1:51 · Crafty Clover explains, from A Million Whys Book 26

In 1928, scientist Alexander Fleming came back from vacation and found mold growing on one of his dishes of bacteria. Around the mold, the bacteria had died. He realized the mold was making something that kills germs. Years later, other scientists turned it into the medicine penicillin. Never touch or sniff moldy things yourself, because only trained scientists study them safely.

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What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How did a moldy dish lead to the first antibiotic?

The Big Idea

A messy lab dish changed medicine forever! It had mold growing on it. Let's see what happened.

Back from Vacation

Step one: Back from Vacation. In 1928, scientist Alexander Fleming came back from vacation and found mold growing on one of his dishes of bacteria. Something strange had happened.

A Clear Ring

Step two: A Clear Ring. Around the mold, the bacteria had died. He realized the mold was making something that kills germs.

Penicillin

Step three: Penicillin. Years later, other scientists turned it into the medicine penicillin. Never touch or sniff moldy things yourself, because only trained scientists study them safely.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! The dish held bacteria. Bacteria covered it. Mold grew in one spot. A ring stayed clear.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Penicillin has helped save millions of lives. Don't sniff moldy things. Fleming noticed the ring. A team made the medicine.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Draw Fleming's dish as a big circle. Draw a mold patch in the middle. Draw a clear ring around it. Fill the rest with dots for bacteria. Label each part.

Outro

A moldy dish led to the first antibiotic when Fleming noticed bacteria dying around a mold. Other scientists made it into penicillin, which has saved millions of lives. Science is amazing! Remember, every big discovery starts with a small question. Keep looking, keep learning, and keep asking why! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!

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