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Project Penicillin

The Race to Develop a Life-Saving Antibiotic
By DK and Isabel Thomas
Brief Description
The gripping true story of how a team of scientists developed a drug that saved 500 million lives. Experience the greatest breakthroughs in science, with the DK Science Stories series. On the battlefields of World War I, soldiers are dying from infected wounds. A young doctor... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2100
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The gripping true story of how a team of scientists developed a drug that saved 500 million lives.

Experience the greatest breakthroughs in science, with the DK Science Stories series.

On the battlefields of World War I, soldiers are dying from infected wounds. A young doctor witnessing the devastation vows to find a cure. In his messy laboratory a decade later, he makes an accidental discoveryβ€”a miracle mould that kills bacteria. But try as he might, he cannot turn his amazing find into a useful medicine.

This is the story of that chance discovery and the brilliant scientists who took Alexander Fleming's miracle mould and worked tirelessly to turn it into a treatment that doctors could use. As another war broke out in Europe, they found themselves in a race against time to grow enough penicillin and create the first antibiotic. Their teamwork and determination led to a class of drugs that saved countless lives and paved the way for modern surgery and other life-saving treatments.

Discover the incredible journey in Project Penicillin by DK and Isabel Thomas.

Series: DK Science Stories

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  • Project Penicillin
    The gripping true story of how a team of scientists developed a drug that saved 500 million lives. Experience the greatest breakthroughs in science, with the DK Science Stories series. On the battlefields of World War I, soldiers are dying from infected wounds. A young doctor witnessing the devastation vows to find a cure. In his messy laboratory a decade...
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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241778692

Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 March 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: DK Children

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 96

About the Author

Isabel Thomas is an award-winning science writer, presenter, and educator. She has degrees in Human Sciences from the University of Oxford and Educational Research from the University of Cambridge. Isabel has written a galaxy of books for young audiences, and is a double winner of the AAAS Prize for Excellence in Science Books. She also writes features for science magazines and the BBC, and delivers outreach projects for a wide range of organisations, inspiring children from diverse backgrounds to pursue science. You can find more about Isabel and her work at isabelthomas.co.uk.

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