Antibiotics Under Our Feet

Our soil is full of bacteria, some of which produce natural antibiotics that inhibit other bacteria. Because of this ability, in this project, I explored how common soil bacteria might have antibiotic qualities in them. I started by collecting soil samples from my garden, knowing that millions of bacterial colonies live in just a small handful of dirt. To study them, I used dilution plates to separate and grow different bacteria from the soil. Once I had colonies, I tested them using screening plates using known bacteria to see if any produced antibiotics. This involved placing potential antibiotic bacteria colonies near test bacteria and observing if they created a clear area where the test bacteria could not grow. If a clear zone appeared, the soil bacteria were producing something that killed or slowed down other bacteria. Through this experiment, I could see that the ground under us contains bacteria with antibiotic potential. This research is connected to the search for new antibiotics, which is important due to rising antibiotic resistance. While my experiment was simple, it reflects how scientists find new medicines in nature. This project showed me that discoveries can be made anywhere, even in a handful of soil from my backyard.