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Petri dish earrings | sterling silver
The discovery of penicillin began on a culture plate that had gone wrong. These petri dish earrings are for a woman whose working day runs on agar plates and incubators. One pair went to a lab technician as a birthday present from her spouse, and she loves them.
Who It's For
- a niece, for Christmas
- a friend, for her birthday
- a science student, as a gift
- a microbiologist who already wears the petri dish necklace
- yourself, for everyday earrings with a lab story behind them
T R., who gave them for Christmas: “Microbiology lab geek loved them for Christmas.” Michael P., who also bought them as a gift: “Excellent quality and very prompt delivery”.
How a Lab Keeps a Plate Clean
Room air carries bacteria and mould spores, and nutrient agar will grow many of them. So microbiologists open a plate as little as they can. They lift the lid without taking it off, tilted away from the body, either next to a Bunsen flame, where the air is drawn upwards, or inside a safety cabinet that blows filtered air over the work. Once inoculated, plates usually go into the incubator upside down, agar on top. Condensation gathers on the lid, and with the plate turned over it cannot drip onto the growing colonies and disturb them. Even so, a stray spore sometimes gets in, and the plate has to be started again.
Explore Related Lab Jewelry
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FAQ
How big are they, and how do they fasten?
Each earring measures 20 mm (about 0.8 inches), not counting the hook, about the size of a 10-euro-cent coin (19.75 mm) or a US penny (19.05 mm). The round disc hangs from a small ring below a sterling silver leverback hook, which clips closed behind the earlobe. Our sterling silver is 925, nickel-free and hypoallergenic, with a high-polish finish. If the silver darkens over time, a soft polishing cloth brings it back.
Is there a matching necklace, or a gold version?
The earrings come in sterling silver only. For a matching set, the petri dish necklace in sterling silver has the same 20 mm design on a 45 cm chain with a 5 cm extender, and there is a silver bracelet with the 20 mm charm on a connector compatible with Pandora bracelets. For someone who wears gold, the necklace also comes in 18K gold vermeil, as a separate piece.
Will they arrive in time, and what if they aren't right?
DHL Express delivers free in 1-5 business days worldwide, and we pay the import duties and taxes, so nothing is due at the door. They arrive in a ready-to-gift jewelry box and festive envelope. If they aren't right, our 30-day “Love It or Return It” policy applies to unworn earrings.
What did Alexander Fleming see on his culture plate?
In 1928 Fleming was studying staphylococci at St Mary's Hospital, London. His 1929 paper says plates set aside on the bench were opened now and then to be examined, and became contaminated. Around one large mould colony, the staphylococcus colonies had turned transparent and were breaking down. The mould was a Penicillium. He called the filtered mould broth penicillin, but could not purify the active substance. In 1940 Florey and Chain's team in Oxford showed it protected mice from a deadly infection. The three shared the 1945 Nobel Prize.
Medical & Lab tools
Dive into the captivating world of science-inspired jewelry, where intricate designs meet the essence of medical and laboratory tools. These masterfully crafted pieces act as subtle yet striking tributes to the instruments that have paved the way for scientific discovery. From DNA helices to microscope charms, each piece serves as a conversation starter, a talisman, and a small monument to human ingenuity. They're not just accessories; they're wearable artifacts that tell a story of scientific exploration and advancement.
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