One sometimes finds what one is not looking for.
Alexander Fleming
In 1928, Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming returned from vacation to find that a mold, Penicillium notatum, had killed bacteria in one of his petri dishes.
He realized this mold produced a substance that could destroy harmful bacteria without harming human cells. Although Fleming’s discovery was groundbreaking, it took over a decade for scientists like Howard Florey and Ernst Chain to turn penicillin into a usable drug.
By World War II, penicillin was mass-produced, saving countless soldiers from infections. Today, antibiotics remain essential in medicine, though overuse has led to antibiotic resistance, a growing global concern.
The discovery of penicillin showed how accidental scientific findings can change the world, highlighting the importance of research and innovation in medicine.
Vocabulary Bank:
- Breakthrough – Terobosan
- Bacteria – Bakteri
- Substance – Zat
- Revolutionized – Merevolusi
- Resistance – Ketahanan atau perlawanan
Soal:
What other scientific discoveries were made by accident?
