Yes, you could do this at home. Growing bacteria you find in a pile of dirt or a local pond might reveal the next big antibiotic. Charlotte Raymond/Science Source hide caption

itoggle caption Charlotte Raymond/Science Source


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itoggle caption M. Spencer Green/AP

Unless it's strep throat, antibiotics are unlikely to help you get over a sore throat. hide caption

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Streptococcus pyogenes shouldn't be taken lightly. Left untreated, an infection with germ can trigger an autoimmune disease that damages the heart. NIAID/ hide caption

itoggle caption NIAID/

Organic apples hang from trees in an orchard in Forest Range, Adelaide Hills, South Australia. donkeycart/via Flickr hide caption

itoggle caption donkeycart/via Flickr

Klebsiella pneumoniae, seen here with an electron microscope, are the most common superbugs causing highly drug-resistant infections in hospitals. Kwangshin Kim/Science Source hide caption

itoggle caption Kwangshin Kim/Science Source

Giancario Gemignani-Hernandez, 2, of Pittsburgh has his ear examined by Dr. Alejandro Hoberman. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Gene J. Puskar/AP