How Urgently Do We Need New Antibiotics?

In 1536, Henry VIII had an accident while jousting. His leg became infected with bacteria, generating festering ulcerated wounds. He never recovered. Imagine such a world, without antibiotics, where a sporting injury is life threatening and a minor operation is full of danger.

We explore how antibiotics work and how they were developed. We think about the dangers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and discover how the latest scientific methods are developing new classes of antibiotics to keep us safe.