Science
When did Fleming discover penicillin?
1928 AD
Alexander Fleming observed penicillin’s antibacterial effect in 1928 AD.
1 BC · 1 AD
Context
What happened?
Fleming noticed that mold contaminating a bacterial culture prevented bacteria from growing around it. He identified the substance as penicillin, but turning the observation into a stable, widely usable medicine required later research and production work by other teams.
Significance
Why it matters
Penicillin opened the antibiotic era and transformed the treatment of bacterial infections. The history also shows that a laboratory observation, drug development, testing, and large-scale production can be separate milestones involving many contributors.
Further reading
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