In 1928, Scottish scientist, Sir Alexander Fleming discovered that a substance produced by the blue-green mold Penicillium could kill certain bacteria that caused infections. Fleming named the substance penicillin. Since that time, the anibiotic penicillin has saved many lives. Bread Mold - Bread mold looks like tiny fluffs of cotton. The fluffs are groups of long hyphae that grow over the surface of the bread.
Shorter hyphae grow down into the bread and resemble roots.
The shorter hyphae release enzymes that break down chemicals in the bread. The broken-down chemicals are foods for the mold and are absorbed by the hyphae. The tiny black spheres on the bread mold are spore cases, which produce spores. The spores are carried from one place to another through the air. When the spores land on food, they begin to develop into new mold.