It is difficult to imagine a world where a prick from a rose bush or a cut from the pages of a beloved book could result in eventual death. Those above the age of 96 might still be able to do so, having been born before the discovery of penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic to treat bacterial infections.

At the time, it seemed humans had won against these microscopic pathogens that could survive anywhere—from the deepest ocean to the coldest land. But in our complicity lay our downfall. Thanks to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, bacteria began to learn ways to withstand treatment and continue to do so today at an alarmingly fast rate. With a dismally low number of new antibiotics in the pipeline, antibiotic resistance has become a major global health threat.

In this episode, Anirban Mahapatra, microbiologist and author of When The Drugs Don't Work: The Hidden Pandemic that Could End Modern Medicine, discusses the complexities and realities of bacteria and antibiotics.

Tune in to find out whether humans will be able to win the war against these tiny, powerful creatures, possibly the first life on land.

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound mix by Kapil Dev Singh