Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur was a French scientist who saved millions of lives. He was born in France in 1822. He proved that tiny germs cause sickness. He also invented vaccines to protect people from deadly diseases.

Early Life

Pasteur grew up in a small town in France. As a boy, he was a good artist and liked to draw. He became interested in science in school. He studied chemistry at a university in Paris.

Big Discoveries

Pasteur showed that germs make food go bad and make people sick. He invented pasteurization, which heats milk to kill harmful germs. He also created vaccines for rabies and anthrax. His work started the field of microbiology.

Fun Facts

• The process of pasteurization is named after him.
• Pasteur was afraid of germs and would not shake hands with people.
• He created the first rabies vaccine by testing it on a boy who had been bitten by a sick dog.

Did You Know?

Pasteur's discoveries helped doctors understand why they should wash their hands and clean their tools. This simple idea has saved countless lives around the world.