Alexander Fleming

Question 1

When and where was Alexander Fleming born?

Answer 1

August 6, 1881, in Lochfield, Scotland.

Question 2

What was Fleming’s most famous discovery?

Answer 2

Penicillin.

Question 3

Which profession did Alexander Fleming originally work in before studying medicine?

Answer 3

A shipping office.

Question 4

Where did Alexander Fleming study medicine?

Answer 4

St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London.

Question 5

What enzyme did Alexander Fleming discover in 1922?

Answer 5

Lysozyme.

Question 6

In which year did Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?

Answer 6

1928.

Question 7

Which world event deeply influenced Fleming’s research into bacterial infections?

Answer 7

World War I.

Question 8

Why was Fleming’s discovery of penicillin so significant?

Answer 8

It became the first antibiotic, revolutionizing treatment for bacterial infections.

Question 9

Who shared the Nobel Prize with Alexander Fleming in 1945?

Answer 9

Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain.

Question 10

What is lysozyme?

Answer 10

An enzyme with mild antibacterial properties that Fleming discovered in 1922.

Question 11

What were the two main medical contributions of Fleming before penicillin?

Answer 11

Lysozyme and contributions to immunology and chemotherapy.

Question 12

How did World War I impact Fleming’s research?

Answer 12

He witnessed the severe bacterial infections among soldiers, driving his search for better treatments.

Question 13

What medical problems did antibiotics like penicillin solve?

Answer 13

They effectively treated bacterial infections that were previously life-threatening.

Question 14

Which major challenge did Fleming face after discovering penicillin?

Answer 14

Struggling to purify and mass-produce it.

Question 15

Who were the scientists who helped develop penicillin for mass production?

Answer 15

Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain.

Question 16

How did Fleming feel about his discovery of penicillin?

Answer 16

He downplayed his achievement and attributed it to luck.

Question 17

What was Fleming’s concern about widespread use of antibiotics?

Answer 17

He feared it would lead to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria.

Question 18

What humorous fact is associated with Fleming’s discovery of penicillin?

Answer 18

It was discovered by accident due to his untidy laboratory habits.

Question 19

How are Fleming’s achievements honored today?

Answer 19

Numerous memorials, statues, and institutions are named after him.

Question 20

What did Alexander Fleming say about inventing penicillin?

Answer 20

‘I didn’t invent penicillin. Nature did that.’

Question 21

Why was the discovery of penicillin almost unnoticed initially?

Answer 21

Fleming was not a strong promoter of his own work, and it took years to develop it for mass use.