Deadly germs annihilated populations throughout the seventeenth century in both the Old and New Worlds. Dutch scientist and entrepreneur Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) was the first to discover and describe microorganisms (protists, bacteria) in the 1670s.

Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/FSVLqhTRfLE which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams.

• History Unplugged podcast available at https://amzn.to/3YthqYx
• So Very Small: How Humans Discovered the Microcosmos, Defeated Germs by Thomas Levenson at https://amzn.to/4oAcvAD
• Other books by Thomas Levenson at https://amzn.to/48wTZTM

ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet  SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). 

• Mark Vinet's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet 
• Mark's HISTORICAL JESUS podcast at https://parthenonpodcast.com/historical-jesus              
• Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkVinet_HNA  
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels 
• Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM 

Audio credits: History Unplugged podcast with Scott Rank (Episode-Microbes Were Discovered in the 1600s. Why It Take 200 Years For Doctors To Start Washing Their Hands? 08may2025), Salem Media, Parthenon Network. Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.