Since the dawn of time, man has studied the mysteries of nature and the Earth. The human race has vigorously sought knowledge of the world around it. This quest for knowledge is what we call science. Without science, humanity would not progress. Without scientific discoveries, man would be nothing. In the 20th century, Britain received great recognition from the scientific community due to its discovery of penicillin, the creation of the first programmable computer, and its groundbreaking work on nuclear transfer. At the start of the 20th century, Alexander Fleming made a mistake in a laboratory that saved hundreds of thousands of lives around the world. “Fleming was born on August 6, 1881 in Lochfield, Ayrshire, a remote area of ​​rural Scotland (“Alexander Fleming”). As a boy he attended school at Kilmarnock Academy until the age of 13. He then went to live with his uncle in London, due to the death of his father, and attended the polytechnic there. After a brief period of service in the London Scottish Regiment, during the Boer War, Fleming attended St. Mary's Medical School, University of London. In 1928, Fleming became a professor at St. Mary's. One day, while cleaning petri dishes covered in Staphylococcus, he noticed a strange mold growing on one of the cultures. Examining it closely, Fleming recognized that no bacteria was growing near the mold. After further experimentation, he discovered that mold could kill bacteria even after being diluted 800 times! Due to the scientific limitations of the time, Fleming was unable to create a medicine from what he discovered was the penicillin mold. However, he still received a Nobel Prize in 1945, alongside the scientists who refined penicillin into a useful paper medium... which would not be as advanced as it is today. So for that, we have to say: “Cheers Brits!” » Works Cited “Alexander Fleming”. World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. November 30, 2013. Fridovich-Keil, Juidith L. “Britannica School.” Britannica School. Np, and Web. December 7, 2013."Penicillin." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. November 30, 2013.Rogers, Kara. “Nuclear transfer”. Britannica School. Np, and Web. December 7, 2013..Stocum, David. “Nuclear transfer of somatic cells”. Britannica School. Np, and Web. December 7, 2013..Trueman, Chris. “Tommy Flowers.” Tommy Flowers. Chris Trueman, December 2011. Web. November 30.2013. .