Ancient Egyptians used moldy bread to treat wounds and infections, but no one understood why. It wasn’t until 1928, with Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, that the world understood the power of mold in the fight against bacteria.

• An incredible intuition in the absence of science

Without knowledge of microbes or antibiotics, the Egyptians had noticed that wounds covered with moldy bread healed faster. It was an empirical treatment, but with surprisingly effective results.

• Fleming and the antibiotic revolution

Thousands of years later, Fleming accidentally discovered that the mold Penicillium notatum stops the growth of bacteria. Thus was born penicillin – the world’s first antibiotic – which forever changed medicine and saved millions of lives.

• When tradition meets science

What seemed like a primitive practice turned out to be an amazing medical intuition. The empirical medicine of the Egyptians unknowingly anticipated one of the greatest discoveries in human history.