0:00:02 > 0:00:04This is absolute genius.
0:00:04 > 0:00:09Dive into a world of action, adventure and explosions!
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Each show we'll introduce you to a different genius...
0:00:12 > 0:00:17An amazing person who had a genius idea which shaped the world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19And they will inspire us to come
0:00:19 > 0:00:23up with our own genius idea at the end of each show.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26- But will our idea be any good? - Will it be any good?
0:00:26 > 0:00:29BOTH: It will be Absolute Genius!
0:00:31 > 0:00:32On today's show,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35we investigate the invisible world of germs...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37What's all that? What's the black stuff?
0:00:37 > 0:00:42From bacteria-ridden bodies to infectious vomiting.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47And how one man's genius discovery led to a miracle of medicine.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Today we're going to introduce you to a man who made a genius
0:01:24 > 0:01:27discovery that saved millions of lives.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29ON PA: Next! Next!
0:01:31 > 0:01:34He discovered something so special,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36it changed the world of medicine for ever.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Who would think that a tiny pill could be so powerful?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the man who discovered penicillin...
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Sir Alexander Fleming.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Are you infectious? You look infectious.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Inspired by his genius idea, we're going to be creating
0:01:52 > 0:01:55our own genius idea later on in the show.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00We will attempt to turn billions of germs into priceless works of art!
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Whatever you do, don't touch it.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06But first, let's find out how Fleming changed the world.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07Aye.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Fleming was born the son of a Scottish farmer,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14more than 130 years ago.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16He moved to London when he was 13,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19and ended up studying medicine and bacteria.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24It was here at St Mary's Hospital right in the centre of London
0:02:24 > 0:02:25town where he worked.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And that was the exact window that he looked out of -
0:02:28 > 0:02:31his lab, the birthplace of penicillin.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Come on, we're going in.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39In those days, doctors knew some bacteria could cause disease,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42but the only way to fight harmful germs was to keep everything
0:02:42 > 0:02:44clean and sterile.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Even the smallest wounds could pick up lethal infections.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53And a quarter of surgery patients died from flesh-eating gangrene
0:02:53 > 0:02:56and other horrible bugs!
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Then, in 1928, Fleming discovered something that could actually
0:03:00 > 0:03:02kill harmful bacteria.
0:03:02 > 0:03:03Penicillin.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Which way is it?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11To explain, genius helper Kevin Brown,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15curator of the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19He's preserved Fleming's original lab, down to the finest detail.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24- You all right, Kevin? - Pleased to meet you.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Shame he didn't invent the lift, isn't it?
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Yeah, but it keeps you fit.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33You expected more, kind of, bubbling test tubes and more
0:03:33 > 0:03:36of a scientific environment, but it's actually pretty basic in here.
0:03:36 > 0:03:42It's basic. It's cluttered, it's messy, but it was how he liked it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45So he spent hours and hours in this room playing with germs,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47but how exactly did he discover penicillin?
0:03:47 > 0:03:52Well, he'd been on holiday, came back after six weeks and there was
0:03:52 > 0:03:57some Petri dishes he'd been working on, with bacteria in them.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01And he was checking it - something on it caught his attention.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06Have a look at this modern replica of his Petri dish.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09You'll notice that it's become contaminated by a mould.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13That didn't interest him, what do you think did?
0:04:13 > 0:04:15There's no bacteria round it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17And that's what interested Fleming.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Ah, because it's killed it!
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Ah, right.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Amazingly, something in the mould
0:04:23 > 0:04:25had killed off the surrounding bacteria!
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Fleming went on to call it penicillin.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31How important was this whole discovery, anyway?
0:04:31 > 0:04:34It changed medicine completely.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39For the first time, you really had a way of fighting germs
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and the diseases they caused.
0:04:42 > 0:04:43ALL that from a bit of mould!
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Fleming's genius idea was the discovery of penicillin.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52He spotted how a stray bit of fungus growing in his Petri dish
0:04:52 > 0:04:55killed the bacteria surrounding it.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59It was a breakthrough in the fight against infection and led to the
0:04:59 > 0:05:04world's first effective antibiotic medicines, saving millions of lives.
0:05:04 > 0:05:05Genius!
0:05:07 > 0:05:11After a few years, scientists worked out a way of producing
0:05:11 > 0:05:14penicillin on a massive scale.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It was hailed a miracle drug, and was used to save lives
0:05:17 > 0:05:19on the battlefields of World War II -
0:05:19 > 0:05:22where infections were easily spread.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Some bacteria have now developed a resistance to penicillin
0:05:26 > 0:05:28and other antibiotics that followed.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31But they're still saving lives all over the world,
0:05:31 > 0:05:36and curing bacterial illnesses like skin and chest infections.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- So, how does penicillin work? - BOTH:- FRAN!
0:05:42 > 0:05:44This is Fran.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47She just loves experimenting...
0:05:47 > 0:05:50to help explain the ideas of our geniuses.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53And she's sure to pop up just when you really need her.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Oh, look at the bacteria on them plums.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Why are you in this strange person's garden eating plums with
0:06:00 > 0:06:02an empty paddling pool?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- Cos Fran's there as well. - All right, Fran.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06- Plum?- Yes, please.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- Missed it!- How does penicillin work?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Before we look at how penicillin works,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14you guys need to know how bacteria grows and divides.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15And how does it grow?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18For bacteria to divide, when it grows as a family unit,
0:06:18 > 0:06:20it doesn't have children,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24instead what it does is it splits itself into two.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26- On their own? - Completely on their own.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28- They just multiply?- Yeah, yeah.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31So this represents just one bacterium,
0:06:31 > 0:06:36and when this wants to grow as a family, it splits into two.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40- Eh, scientist and magician! - Clever.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44And then, each of those splits so you end up with...
0:06:44 > 0:06:46four. Four then becomes...
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- Six.- Eight.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Eight! Eight! Four times table...
0:06:53 > 0:06:54Each time it's doubling...
0:06:54 > 0:06:5512.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56No!
0:06:58 > 0:07:00THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER
0:07:00 > 0:07:0232.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Bacteria can do this as fast as every 20 minutes,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08so bear in mind, bacteria don't have a brain,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12I was thinking, can you guys do this as fast as bacteria?
0:07:12 > 0:07:17You can see how a colony of bacteria can easily get out of control.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22They just keep dividing, every 20 minutes, and, unlike us,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24they never get tired.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28- BALLOON SQUEAKS - Will you two stop mucking about!?
0:07:28 > 0:07:31It was good fun and we've got lots of balloons,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33but what's all this got to do with penicillin?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36For bacteria to divide like this, what they need to do
0:07:36 > 0:07:40is grow new outer shells to cover the new bacteria.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44What penicillin does is stop that new outer shell forming properly,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47so it means bacteria can't divide.
0:07:47 > 0:07:53So it makes the bacteria bigger and bigger until it's at bursting point.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- Right.- Normally, with bacteria, they burst by themselves,
0:07:56 > 0:08:00but I thought it would be a whole lot more fun if...
0:08:00 > 0:08:05Yeah! ..if you guys were maybe the penicillin and cause the bursting.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09We are human penicillin!
0:08:14 > 0:08:17THEY LAUGH
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Clearly, our double attack does not work.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Time for a more individual approach.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24- Off you go, then.- All right.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- It's more your size. - More my size!
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Oh! LAUGHTER
0:08:37 > 0:08:40HE SQUEALS
0:08:44 > 0:08:46He's done it! Burst the balloon
0:08:46 > 0:08:50and killed the bacteria - just like Fleming's penicillin.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53That bacteria is dead, OK?
0:08:53 > 0:08:57And that, more or less, is how penicillin works.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Hang on! Why didn't you do that before?
0:09:03 > 0:09:05He may have been trying to kill them,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08but really, Fleming LOVED bacteria.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12He even grew pictures out of them, in different shapes and colours.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13Germ paintings.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17We need to go and explore Fleming's amazing world of germs.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19- Yes, we do. But where are we going to do that?- Surrey.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- Don't be sorry, where we going to do it?- Surrey.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24I'm very sorry too. Where we going to do that?
0:09:24 > 0:09:26- Surrey.- Ha! See what we did there!? I love Surrey.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Surrey, home to Box Hill,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32the oldest untouched area of natural woodland in the UK.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33And also...
0:09:35 > 0:09:38..genius helper Dr Simon Park,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42a molecular microbiologist at the University of Surrey.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- Hi, Doctor.- Hi.- Hi, Simon.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51We've been on a journey and so far we've found out about penicillin
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and how it kills bacteria, but what is bacteria?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Bacteria are very, very small living cells that are
0:09:57 > 0:09:59so small that you can't see them with the eye.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02They grow in us, and on us...
0:10:02 > 0:10:04So bacteria are everywhere?
0:10:04 > 0:10:05Everywhere, yes.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08You're covered in about 100,000 bacteria per square
0:10:08 > 0:10:10centimetre of your skin.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13I presume bacteria are bad cos you always see
0:10:13 > 0:10:17adverts for cleaning products saying it kills bacteria.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20No. The vast majority are harmless and even beneficial
0:10:20 > 0:10:24and it's only the very, very small fraction that are harmful to us.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27We do know that they're teeny-tiny, but can we have a look at some?
0:10:27 > 0:10:32If you want to put a small dollop of spit onto these slides.
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Here we go.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36THEY LAUGH
0:10:39 > 0:10:40That's disgusting!
0:10:41 > 0:10:43You're not wrong there, Dom.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Perfect.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52This is Dom's first.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Let's find Dom's bacteria.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58- Ah, what is that!? - It's like a jellyfish.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03That's a piece of your cheek, and then the bacteria are much,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05much smaller than that.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07So you see these little dots here moving around?
0:11:07 > 0:11:10They're the bacteria that live...
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Why are they moving around?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Because they can move towards things that they like
0:11:14 > 0:11:16and away from things that they don't like.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- So they are alive?- They're alive, living, yep.
0:11:19 > 0:11:20Now time for my close up.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24What's all the black stuff?
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Why's he got black stuff in there?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30It looks like he hasn't cleaned his teeth this morning,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32there's loads of bits of food...
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Looks like Planet Earth.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- It's in my mouth.- There's Africa! - They're all living in my mouth.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Oh, good grief!
0:11:42 > 0:11:45So bacteria are everywhere - in, and ON - our bodies,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49and most of them are harmless, or good for us.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52They might be invisible, but when they start growing in colonies,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54they start revealing themselves.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Time to see what's growing on us.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00So we just put body parts in this?
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Any part you want.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07We're taking swabs of our feet, ears, and hands to compare
0:12:07 > 0:12:12how much invisible bacteria is lurking on our skin.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Finished.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Right then, what do we do now?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I'll put them in the incubator, leave them for four days
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and I'll send you the results.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Who do you think will be the germiest?
0:12:23 > 0:12:27While we wait for the results, here are some top facts about bacteria.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32It's the genius top five!
0:12:32 > 0:12:33At five - every time you flush,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37it can send toilet germs FLYING up to two metres away!
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Far enough to reach your toothbrush. So keep a lid on it!
0:12:41 > 0:12:44At four - the kitchen's a stomping ground for germs.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47The average chopping board has more than twice the amount of poo
0:12:47 > 0:12:52bacteria than the average toilet seat.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Three - bacteria are older than dinosaurs.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56It's thought they were the first living
0:12:56 > 0:13:00organisms on Earth around three billion years ago.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04At two - this tough lot can thrive in conditions
0:13:04 > 0:13:05that would kill a human.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09From the hottest rocks deep within the Earth's surface,
0:13:09 > 0:13:10to the coldest mountain peaks.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Some bacteria can even live on radioactive waste!
0:13:14 > 0:13:19And at one - the human body has 100 trillion good bacteria,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21most of them living in your gut.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24They help your body break down and absorb food
0:13:24 > 0:13:27and work to keep those bad bacteria at bay. Good work, chaps!
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- BACTERIA:- Thank you so much.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Let me just take a few moments to thank my family...
0:13:32 > 0:13:33The results are in!
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Here is the bacteria that Dr Park grew out of our body parts,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39but who is going to be the germiest?
0:13:40 > 0:13:43THEY LAUGH
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- I'm sorry...- Look at that.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46Let's show them to you.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Look at the state of them.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51We don't know whose is whose yet, but I've got a good idea.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52Reveal - three, two, one...
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Dom!- Ah, no!
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Look at his ear! You dirty-eared boy!
0:13:59 > 0:14:00That's not my ear!
0:14:00 > 0:14:02All bacteria that would be found on the skin.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06However, there is much more than on Dick's ear,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10suggesting that Dick is cleaner or Dom's not washed as well.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Onto the feet.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17- This is going to be interesting. - Wait a minute.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21THEY LAUGH
0:14:21 > 0:14:25- Green matter, ladies and gentlemen. - I don't like where this is going!
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Dom's!- Oh, no!
0:14:29 > 0:14:31There are many thousands of bacteria on the foot,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34which are found on most people.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38The bacteria spreading by the heel is commonly found in soil.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Ah, soil, cos I do lots of gardening, cos I'm a gardener.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45- There we go, then. And finally.- Hands.- Hands.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- Can't wait for this. That's clean.- That's not.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I don't think we even need to ask, do we?
0:14:53 > 0:14:54That's my hand.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57But that's that soil stuff again.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01And it says "The spread at the top of then hand is from bacteria
0:15:01 > 0:15:03"found in soil." Isn't that weird?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It still means you don't wash. So the results are clear.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- Ladies and gentlemen, the most germiest person in this double act...- On the outside...
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- The most bacteria-ridden... - On the outside...
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- ..is Dom. - I'm just outdoorsy.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20But what about the bacteria that cause nasty infections?
0:15:20 > 0:15:24The bad stuff penicillin destroys? We need to investigate.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27So we've come to the Peak District where there also just
0:15:27 > 0:15:29so happens to be this building.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Yes, the UK's Health and Safety Laboratory!
0:15:32 > 0:15:36Scientists here research how germs and infections are spread.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40Meet genius helper
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and microbiologist Catherine Makison Booth,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45inventor of Vomiting Larry...
0:15:50 > 0:15:57Part mannequin, part machine with a cylinder for a stomach
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and a spraying range of three metres.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06When this boy barfs, he contaminates everything around him.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12OK, so this is where Larry lives.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13- What, in this room?- In this room.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It says on there "Warning - biohazard."
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- There's no biohazard in there at the moment.- Are you sure?
0:16:18 > 0:16:21It's just water with a fluorescent marker in it.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24The idea is, if you've got an infection you vomit,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26in some cases, and it goes everywhere.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29And we want to identify how far it goes
0:16:29 > 0:16:31so we can look at infection transmission.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35So, basically the UV light enables you to see how far the germs go,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39cos the human eye can only see where the physical stuff goes?
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- Yeah.- What kind of diseases are you talking about?
0:16:41 > 0:16:45We get stomach-type disease - gastro-intestinal infections.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Things like Norovirus, campylobacter, which is
0:16:49 > 0:16:51the biggest cause of food poisoning.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53And they make you projectile vomit.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Sounds like Larry might have a bad case of food poisoning.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Harmful germs like salmonella
0:17:01 > 0:17:05and E. coli can live on meat if it isn't stored or cooked properly.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Roast dinner, anyone?
0:17:07 > 0:17:12And once you're sick, your vomit can spread those germs even further.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15To show the infectious power of Larry's vomit, one of us
0:17:15 > 0:17:17will face him. Head on.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Hang on a minute - how high does he vomit?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Cos I'm pretty small,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24it'll get me straight in the face. Surely it'd be best on him.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25I'll do it.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27He's a good lad. Good boy.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Right, I need these, I think.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33You all right, Larry?
0:17:33 > 0:17:35You feeling any better?
0:17:35 > 0:17:37When he vomits, where's it going to hit him?
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Probably going to hit his legs and his stomach, really.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Is it? Kneel down.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44- What for?- Research.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Trust me, Cat said so.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47Right.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51In an attempt to block those nasty germs from spreading,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Dick will use his body as a human shield.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57All right? Can we have the lights off, please?
0:17:57 > 0:17:58Thank you.
0:17:59 > 0:18:05OK, blowing chunks in three, two, one...
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Dick is covered.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17But so is the entire room.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Larry's germs - only visible under UV light -
0:18:19 > 0:18:23have made it up to three metres away.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Luckily, it's only water.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26If this was real vomit,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30each globule would be teeming with invisible, infectious bacteria.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34In future, Larry, be sick in the loo. Not on your mates!
0:18:34 > 0:18:35What a mess.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Look at it in here. Larry, you got it everywhere.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44That just goes to prove that germs can travel far further than
0:18:44 > 0:18:46the naked eye can see.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52And now, Dick is going to have a rave. Night.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54TECHNO MUSIC
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Throw some shapes, Dicky boy.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Right, that's enough.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08We've learned how Fleming discovered penicillin,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11exposed the invisible horrors living all over Dom...
0:19:12 > 0:19:15And seen germs in all their shapes and colours.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20Fleming even created pictures with them, and that has inspired us.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25It's time to reveal our genius idea.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Art.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28But no paint, no modelling clay
0:19:28 > 0:19:30but we're going to use bacteria and fungi.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Yes, germ art. Here's the plan.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Our genius idea to create our very own germ art
0:19:37 > 0:19:41for display at one of the UK's leading art galleries.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Our challenge - to make images of our faces,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48grown entirely out of bacteria and fungi.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Our problem - if it doesn't work, we'll have no exhibition,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and a public slating from the art critics!
0:19:59 > 0:20:02To help us with the designs, it's genius helper Mike Fischetti,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04from Deadly Art.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08He's going to help us turn this picture into a stencil,
0:20:08 > 0:20:13which will become the basis for our germy portraits.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15So first thing, I'm going to take that photo
0:20:15 > 0:20:18and turn it into a black and white one.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21And then we're going to up the contrast and the brightness to make
0:20:21 > 0:20:26sure that all the bright highlights and all the dark shadows all pop out.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30I'm going to blow up your faces individually, so there's Dick's face.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34It's amazing how it's recognisable as his face,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36but it's just a selection of shapes now.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Exactly. The same with yours. You're going to love this.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41- Wow!- Whay!- I look like I've been in a Rocky movie.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Seriously, seriously.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45- So I've got Dom's face.- OK.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48And I've got Dick's face.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52I'm not messing with you, you look hard!
0:20:52 > 0:20:55What do you want us to do with them?
0:20:55 > 0:20:56I'm going to take some acetate
0:20:56 > 0:20:59and one of you can help by tracing your face.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02And over here, grab a scalpel
0:21:02 > 0:21:06and I've already traced out Dom's face, so we can cut it out together.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13When we've got all these bits cut out, we're going to layer them
0:21:13 > 0:21:18onto the agar jelly and then we're going to put bacteria on all
0:21:18 > 0:21:20the big blocky bits.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23If it works, it's going to be an amazing piece of bacteria pop art.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26How do you think we're doing, Flem?
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- SNORING - Ugh, charming.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30Now we've got the stencils,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33we're ready to bring out the real stars of the piece -
0:21:33 > 0:21:38our two types of germs - Bacillus bacteria, commonly found in soil,
0:21:38 > 0:21:42and Penicillium fungi, the mould at the heart of Fleming's discovery.
0:21:43 > 0:21:44What do we need to do?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47First of all, we need to put some antibiotics on the back
0:21:47 > 0:21:49to prevent any other bacteria
0:21:49 > 0:21:52growing from our hands and the environment.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54So it's keeping all the lines nice and clean?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- That's right.- To make sure the bacteria doest spread outside the image.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58Yes, that's right.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01The area that we're putting the antibiotics onto
0:22:01 > 0:22:04now, are they the black or the white bits of the image?
0:22:04 > 0:22:07The negative space, the space that isn't going to show up.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10They're going to be the colour of whatever jelly you have.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Oh, OK, so the main bit of our faces.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- So we turn it back over and place it in?- Yep.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20You're going to line it up with that corner over there.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22OK. So you ready?
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Just go straight down the lines. It's like hanging wallpaper.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27No air bubbles, mate.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31OK, spin it round so you can have a look.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35You can see very clearly that the acetate here, that we're not
0:22:35 > 0:22:38going to touch and that you can see the agar, which is
0:22:38 > 0:22:41the jelly substance, we're now going to paint the bacteria.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Going to have a big, mouldy head.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52How does this work? What's actually going to happen during the process?
0:22:52 > 0:22:56The cells that you're putting on there will grow and multiply
0:22:56 > 0:23:00into colonies and they're the things you'll be able to see.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Whilst you can't see the individual cells at the moment,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05you'll be able to see them once they've grown over a few days.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08We put them in what we call incubators, so they're like ovens.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11How many days? How long do you have to leave it for?
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Two to three days and then they'll grow up.
0:23:14 > 0:23:15Is this going to work?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17We don't actually know for sure.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18Oh, great.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21You could end up with monkey faces.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22No change there.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30Cat, we're going to leave these in your capable hands, so no pressure.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34But we need fungi and bacteria all over our faces in just
0:23:34 > 0:23:35a couple of days, cos they're going to be
0:23:35 > 0:23:38part of an art exhibition in Manchester, all right?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40- OK.- Is it going to work? - We'll see.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Fingers crossed.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Meanwhile, here's a not-so-genius thing to do with germs.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50It's The Not So Genius Idea.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54In 1892, the famous German scientist Max Von Pettenkofer tried to
0:23:54 > 0:23:58prove that, on their own, the germs that cause cholera are harmless.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01To demonstrate,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04he drank a test tube full of the stuff - in front of an audience.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06And was he right?
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Of course not - this is The Not So Genius Idea!
0:24:09 > 0:24:12He ended up with a bad case of the runs.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17So this is it, the day has finally arrived.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20We've done a lot of hard work with some amazing experts,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22so should we go and see our mouldy faces?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Let's go and meet the critics.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32We've chosen Manchester Art Gallery for our exhibition.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34It's awright!
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Steeped in history, it houses a world-class art collection,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41and attracts more than 400,000 visitors every year.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44ALARM RINGS
0:24:44 > 0:24:48But this is the first time actual germs have been allowed on display.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Our exhibition has drawn quite a crowd.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57And although our two types of germs are harmless,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00we suggest this lot don't get too close.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05We're about to reveal to you our germ art.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07You'll have never seen anything like this before.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11This is our tribute to Sir Alexander Fleming, who is the man who
0:25:11 > 0:25:16discovered penicillin and he was also a lover of germ art.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19He was one of the first to do it and this is our tribute to him.
0:25:19 > 0:25:26Ladies and gentlemen, please, welcome fungal Dick and Dom.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It's now open.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Do, please, come forward, have a look,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39but whatever you do, don't touch it.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40Don't smell it either.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42It whiffs.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47They've taken three days to grow.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Dick - a real beauty of Bacillus bacteria.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55And Dom - fungi features grown from Penicillium,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59the same mould at the centre of Fleming's genius discovery
0:25:59 > 0:26:01all those years ago.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03They might not be worth billions of pounds -
0:26:03 > 0:26:06but they contain billions of germs.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Priceless!
0:26:08 > 0:26:10So far, the comments I've heard are,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12"Ew, that's disgusting."
0:26:12 > 0:26:14And, "Oh, it stinks."
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Charming, isn't it? After all that hard work.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20I think they have pulled it off excellently.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22What I would have liked to have seen was
0:26:22 > 0:26:24a bit of finger painting with bacteria.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29When I go home I'll beg my mum, "Can we go bacteria painting, please?"
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Our art seems to have gone down well,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36but what does the gallery's curator, Kate Jesson, think?
0:26:36 > 0:26:39You can certainly tell which one's Dick and which one's Dom,
0:26:39 > 0:26:44and I guess with the choice of making a portrait out of germs,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46you've got a sense of their character too.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54We've explored Fleming's passion for bacteria...
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Learned how his genius penicillin
0:26:56 > 0:26:58attacks the germs that make us sick...
0:26:58 > 0:27:01And, inspired by Fleming's germ paintings,
0:27:01 > 0:27:03we've created a mouldy old pair of masterpieces.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08There we have it. We've been on a pretty incredible journey
0:27:08 > 0:27:11and achieved something quite special.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13You've heard what the critics think,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16but what about the godfather of germ art?
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Your paintings stink!
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Sir Alexander Fleming, you are an absolute genius.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- Ta-ra.- What do you mean, "Ta-ra"?
0:27:26 > 0:27:27Take me with you!
0:27:27 > 0:27:29I'm not staying here on my own, am I?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Come baaaaaaaack!
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Argh! Smacked me in the face!
0:27:41 > 0:27:44- Dom's...- Oh, no!
0:27:44 > 0:27:46What are you doing?
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- THEY LAUGH - Let me get it straight!
0:27:49 > 0:27:50Oh!
0:27:50 > 0:27:53What's all that? What's all the black stuff?
0:27:53 > 0:27:54Wahey!
0:27:54 > 0:27:57THEY LAUGH
0:27:57 > 0:28:00THEY ALL LAUGH