Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

The Latest Breaking News from Ernst Chain

Penicillin Wasn't Just Fleming's Lab Accident: The Mold That Saved Millions Came from a Rotting Cantaloupe

Fleming's 1928 accident opened the antibiotic era, but the strain that mass-produced penicillin came from a moldy melon in Peoria, Illinois.

Medical Daily · Sep 2

In 1940, scientists had no fermentation tanks, so penicillin was grown in hundreds of ceramic vessels modeled on hospital bedpans; the improvised system helped turn Fleming’s discovery into a mass-produced medicine

In 1940, scientists working to develop penicillin faced a major obstacle: they had discovered a potentially lifesaving medicine but lacked the industrial equipment needed to produce it in large quantities. Instead of modern fermentation tanks, the Oxford team relied on improvised containers, including hospital bedpans and specially designed ceramic vessels.…

The Economic Times · Aug 19

In 1928, Alexander Fleming returned from vacation and accidentally discovered penicillin, the medical breakthrough that became the world's most widely used antibiotic

Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin accidentally in 1928 after returning from vacation. Howard Florey and Ernst Chain later developed methods to purify this substance. Penicillin became a crucial medicine during World War II, saving many soldiers. This antibiotic revolutionized medical care by treating previously deadly infections. Penicillin laid the groundwork…

The Economic Times · Jul 23

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Science history: Alexander Fleming wakes up to funny mold in his petri dish, and accidentally discovers the first antibiotic — Sept. 28, 1928

Alexander Fleming was doing experiments with bacteria when he woke up to a strange mold growing in his petri dish. The "mold juice" would usher in the first antibiotic, penicillin, and would revolutionize medical care for bacterial infections.

LiveScience · Sep 28, 2025

Nobel Prize For Penicillin Discovery Hits The Market

Dr. Ernst Chain's historic Nobel Prize up for sale at £1.6m ($1.95m) encapsulates a groundbreaking medical achievement.

Zenger · Oct 3, 2023

What is penicillin, and how was it discovered?

Discovered by sheer accident in the late 1920s, penicillin was the world's first antibiotic.

LiveScience · Aug 11, 2023

Archbishop of Canterbury pays tribute to his mother after her death at 93

Lady Jane Williams passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, Lambeth Palace said.

The Independent UK · Jul 15, 2023

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Coverage From

People

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Organisations

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Topics

Places

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.