Writing is a big part of my life. One of the great joys of writing my first books was interviewing many of the inspiring scientists who were involved in the discoveries, some of whom are no longer with us. Writing helps me take stock of the big picture of this vast human endeavor. I want to explain to everyone what we know and what we don’t know about immune health. I am the Head of Life Sciences and Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London.
This book is simply phenomenal: easy to read and with stunning pictures. Its author, Philipp Dettmer, is the founder of Kurzgesagt, German for ‘In a nutshell,’ a YouTube channel featuring popular science animations with a gazillion subscribers and over 1.5 billion views.
The art and design of what he does are what sets him apart, and this book is no exception. The nitty-gritty of the immune system has been especially important to him ever since he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of thirty-two.
The book from the creator of the wildly popular science YouTube channel, Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell, a gorgeously illustrated deep dive into the immune system that will change how you think about your body forever. __________
'A truly brilliant introduction to the human body's vast system for fighting infections and other threats' JOHN GREEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars
'Reads as if it's a riveting sci-fi novel . . . a delightful treat for the curious' TIM URBAN, creator of Wait But Why __________
Tom Ireland writes extremely well. Although this is his first book, it is clear that he has a lot of experience in writing well from his job as editor of a popular science magazine.
The story being presented here is about how the science of phages has unraveled over the last 130 years or so and how they are important in many areas of contemporary science and medicine today. There are not many truly original stories left to tell–there are, for example, any number of books on evolution–but here is a story that is genuinely thrilling and new.
At every moment, within our bodies and all around us, trillions of microscopic combatants are waging a war that shapes our health and life on Earth. Countless times per second, viruses known as phages attack and destroy bacteria while leaving all other life forms, including us, unscathed. Vastly outnumbering the viruses that do us harm, phages power ecosystems, drive evolutionary innovation, and harbor a remarkable capacity to heal life-threatening infections when conventional antibiotics fail. Yet most of us have never heard of them, thinking of viruses only as enemies to be feared. The Good Virus prompts us to reconsider, and…
This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.
In these and other intimate conversations, the book…
Bill Bryson is, to me, one of the greatest all-time nonfiction authors, and it’s just wonderful that he wrote this book about the human body. It is inspiring, surprising, and laugh-out-loud funny.
There’s even a short bit in this book about him visiting my own University research lab!
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Bill Bryson, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything, takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body—with a new afterword for this edition.
Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body—how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Brysonesque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding…
Venki Ramakrishnan is a world-renowned scientific leader who has won a Nobel prize. Crucially, his writing is inspiring, crystal clear, and authoritative. He sorts out the myths and facts about living longer and aging while presenting a lot of wonderful and fascinating science.
I enjoyed this book enormously because it covers a huge array of new big scientific ideas.
How can science help us live better and longer? A groundbreaking exploration of longevity from Nobel Prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024 A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW SCIENTIST BOOK OF THE YEAR A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST SUMMER READ
'Enthralling and packed with insights.' - BILL BRYSON 'A must-read.' - STEPHEN FRY 'Spectacular.' - CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN
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We are living through an exciting revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in our understanding of why we age, and why some species live longer than others. Will we soon be able to cheat…
Blood of the White Bear
by
Marcia Calhoun Forecki,
Virologist Dr. Rachel Bisette sees visions of a Kachina and remembers the plane crash that killed her parents and the Dine medicine woman who saved her life. Rachel is investigating a new and lethal hantavirus spreading through the Four Corners, and believes the Kachina is calling her to join the…
This is a well-known ‘classic’ book about illness, how it makes us feel and what it means. It is beautifully written and provocative.
It is important to me because it is about health and disease on a human level, raising all sorts of issues that have to be navigated alongside scientific advancements.
Is it true that orange juice can help ward off colds? How does age affect our immune system? Is mental health really connected to inflammation?
We are surrounded by bold claims and quick fixes for ‘boosting’ our immune health. But one thing the science is clear on is that everyone’s immune system is completely unique–what is good for one person may not work well for another. So, how do we separate the bogus claims from the useful advice? And given its sheer complexity, is there anything we can do to improve our immune system? In this book, I examine the effects of stress, diet, age, exercise, the microbiome and more on the immune system–equipping you to live happier and healthier.
