Penicillin was the world's first antibiotic, a type of medication that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. After Scottish doctor Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in a petri dish containing ...

For many people, a bloom of mold symbolizes failure. But this small medallion of mold, its two dots of Penicillium notatum ...

Here, a man draws out a dose of penicillin using a glass syringe. | Credit: Anthony Potter Collection/Getty Images Fleming, Florey and Chain would win the 1945 Nobel Prize in medicine for their work ...

While mold doesn’t have the best reputation, some types can actually be quite beneficial. Take Penicillium, for example—it’s the mold responsible for producing penicillin, one of the most important ...