This article provides a quick review of the antibiotic era, from the discovery of the first antibiotics to the current situation, which is characterized by the emergence of difficult-to-treat multidrug-resistant illnesses. The development of novel strategies in the search for new antimicrobials, the design of more effective preventive measures, and, most importantly, a better understanding of the ecology of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance are all discussed as possible responses to the antibiotic resistance challenges.