What led to the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming?
Understand the Problem
The question appears to ask for information regarding the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, specifically relating to his experiments and observations with bacteria and mold.
Answer
Penicillin was discovered when Fleming found mold inhibiting bacteria on uncleaned Petri dishes.
Penicillin was discovered when Alexander Fleming noticed mold killing bacteria in a Petri dish he had left out before going on vacation.
Answer for screen readers
Penicillin was discovered when Alexander Fleming noticed mold killing bacteria in a Petri dish he had left out before going on vacation.
More Information
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by chance when a mold called Penicillium notatum contaminated his Petri dishes, killing nearby bacteria. This led to the development of antibiotics.
Tips
A common mistake is assuming Fleming was actively seeking antibiotics; instead, it was an unexpected discovery.
Sources
- How was penicillin developed? - sciencemuseum.org.uk
- Alexander Fleming Discovery and Development of Penicillin - acs.org
- The Discovery of Penicillin—New Insights After More Than 75 Years - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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