Work near a flame or in a laminar flow hood. Pour gently—about 20–25 mL per standard 100 mm plate—and avoid bubbles by smiling at the foam. Actually, tilting the plate helps shoo bubbles to the edge. Let them solidify on a level surface for 20 minutes.
Storage tip: Stack poured plates in a sealed bag at 4°C. They’ll last four to six weeks. Write the date and antibiotic concentration on the bag with a Sharpie. Future you will thank present you.
Cultural Reference: “LB, My Precious”
In the iconic 1990s film Jurassic Park, scientists used something similar to grow dinosaur DNA samples. While they probably didn’t use LB, the vibe is the same—life finds a way. Your little bacterial cultures will be equally tenacious if you feed them right.
