WHY AREN'T WE DEAD YET?

Disease — specifically infectious disease — is what eventually kills the overwhelming majority of us. In fact, it's amazing that it doesn't get us sooner: we fight off millions of disease-causing germs every day.

So why aren't we dead yet? In this lively and accessible book, Idan Ben-Barak tells us why. He explores the immune system and what keeps it running, how germs are destroyed, and why we develop immunities to certain disease-causing agents, and he examines the role of antibiotics and vaccines. Ben-Barak also looks at what the future holds for our collective chances of not being dead. That is, of course, if we manage not to die by then; let's hang in there.

This is entertaining and thoughtful science writing in the tradition of Natalie Anger's The Canon and Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon, with the wit and verve of Bill Bryson.

Idan Ben-Barak holds a B.Sc. in medical science and an M.Sc. in microbiology from the Hadassah School of Medicine at the University of Jerusalem, and is currently working towards a Ph.D. In the history and philosophy of science at the University of Sydney.

WARUM SIND WIR
EIGENTLICH NOCH
NICHT TOT?
Deutsch von Sebastian Vogel
[PB Ullstein 08/16]