Robert Koch was a doctor and scientist. According to Blevins and Bronze (2010), his work "launched the new field of medical bacteriology" and "marked the beginning of a 'golden age' of scientific discovery and a new era of public health" (p. E744). Brock (1999) claimed that Robert Koch was “one of the most important figures in medical science and was also the founder of bacteriology” (p. xxi). How could one man accomplish so much and have such a profound impact on the world around him? The three areas that must be examined in order to unveil the extent of influence he possessed are: • The life of Robert Koch • Microscopes, research and revolutionary discoveries • Beyond one man These topics will delve into the he story surrounding Robert Koch and show how incredible his impact was not only during his time, but continues to this day. The Life of Robert KochRobert Koch was born on December 11, 1843 in Clausthal, Germany. He was one of thirteen children, although two of them died in infancy. His father was a mining engineer and his mother was very busy at home with all the children. Robert's uncle, Eduard Biewend, was highly educated, devoted to the study of nature and interested in photography. He took Robert on field trips as a child and got him interested in natural sciences. Robert attended the University of Göttinberg, where he was initially going to study to become a teacher, but after the first semester he switched to studying medicine. In 1866, at the age of 23, he received his medical degree and passed the state examination to practice medicine. At first he wanted to travel as a ship's doctor, but he became engaged to Emmy Fraatz and stayed to take a position as a medical assistant at Hamburg General Hospital. The p...... middle of article ......tions and epidemiology around 1900. Studies In History & Philosophy Of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, 41(3), 232-240. doi:10.1016/j.shpsc.2010.04.012 Jakobi, S. (2010). An inexpensive and safe experiment to demonstrate Koch's postulates using citrus fruits. Journal Of Biological Education (Society Of Biology), 44(4), 190-192. Lagerkvist, U. (2003). Pioneers of microbiology and Nobel Prize winners. Riveredge, NJ: World Scientific. Münch, R. (2003). Robert Koch. Microbes & Infection, 5(1), 69-74. Robert Koch Institute. (2013a). Museum and mausoleum. Retrieved from http://www.rki.de/EN/Content/Institute/History/mausoleum_node_en.htmlRobert Koch Institute. (2013b). Welcome to the Robert Koch Institute. Retrieved from http://www.rki.de/EN/Home/homepage_node.html Tyagi, F.S. (2006). The timeless legacy of Robert Koch. Resonance: Journal of Science Education, 11(9), 20-28.