While the film itself is a piece of niche cinema history, the term appears in 1973 scientific literature in a very different context. In the early 70s, the first significant studies using germ-free mice (born and raised in sterile environments) were being conducted to understand the "microbiota-gut-brain axis". These animals were used to study how a lack of early-life microbial exposure impacts neurodevelopment, stress response, and behavior—a literal "early awakening" to the importance of the microbiome.
Growing up in a Bubble: Using Germ-Free Animals to ... - PubMed early awakening report 14 and under 1973 germ free