Overview

"From highly respected microbiologist and the creator of the YouTube sensation ""Dumb Ways to Die,"" comes this exploration of the immune system, what keeps it running, and how germs are destroyed... So how come we're not 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. He also examines the role of antibiotics and vaccines, and looks at what the future holds for our collective chances of not being dead. This is entertaining and thoughtful science writing to inspire the student interested in a career in medicine or immunology, or to inform the reader who just wants to understand more about their body while having a laugh along the way."

Full Product Details

9781947534377

Table of Contents

Reviews

'An accessible account of a complex and important topic.' --Prof. Peter C. Doherty, Nobel Prize Winner 'This surprisingly ambitious, eminently accessible book brilliantly summarizes the essential features of the immune system for a lay audience. The quirky humour masks an underlying authority and competence. The work is right up to date, even incorporating recent Nobel Prize winning insights into the evolutionarily ancient innate immune system. It is a triumph of popular medical science.' --Sir Gustav Nossal 'A terrific introduction to the complicated beast that keeps us alive.' --Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, author of Great Mythconceptions '[F]riendly and engaging ... accessible to anyone who's curious about the mechanics of the human body.' --Thuy On The Age

[F]riendly and engaging ... accessible to anyone who's curious about the mechanics of the human body. --The Age This surprisingly ambitious, eminently accessible book brilliantly summarizes the essential features of the immune system for a lay audience. The quirky humour masks an underlying authority and competence. The work is right up to date, even incorporating recent Nobel Prize winning insights into the evolutionarily ancient innate immune system. It is a triumph of popular medical science. --Sir Gustav Nossal, former Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Children's Vaccine Program .. . dotted with pub-worthy facts (two to four pounds of human body weight is made up of microbes) and playful footnotes that make for an accessible and amusing look at the hidden world of ubiquitous microscopic creatures like bacteria, archaea, protists, and viruses. Woven into the humor is a bona fide crash course in parasitology, microbiology, and gene transfer ... --SEED A terrific introduction to the complicated beast that keeps us alive. --Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, author of Great Mythconceptions I enjoyed this lighthearted insider's guide to germs... I'd love to shrink down to microscopic size to see some of the odd lifeforms described in this book. --BoingBoing.net 'An accessible account of a complex and important topic.' --Prof. Peter C. Doherty, Nobel Prize Winner

A terrific introduction to the complicated beast that keeps us alive. --Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, author of Great Mythconceptions I enjoyed this lighthearted insider's guide to germs... I'd love to shrink down to microscopic size to see some of the odd lifeforms described in this book. --BoingBoing.net This surprisingly ambitious, eminently accessible book brilliantly summarizes the essential features of the immune system for a lay audience. The quirky humour masks an underlying authority and competence. The work is right up to date, even incorporating recent Nobel Prize winning insights into the evolutionarily ancient innate immune system. It is a triumph of popular medical science. --Sir Gustav Nossal, former Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Children's Vaccine Program .. . dotted with pub-worthy facts (two to four pounds of human body weight is made up of microbes) and playful footnotes that make for an accessible and amusing look at the hidden world of ubiquitous microscopic creatures like bacteria, archaea, protists, and viruses. Woven into the humor is a bona fide crash course in parasitology, microbiology, and gene transfer ... --SEED [F]riendly and engaging ... accessible to anyone who's curious about the mechanics of the human body. --The Age 'An accessible account of a complex and important topic.' --Prof. Peter C. Doherty, Nobel Prize Winner

.. . dotted with pub-worthy facts (two to four pounds of human body weight is made up of microbes) and playful footnotes that make for an accessible and amusing look at the hidden world of ubiquitous microscopic creatures like bacteria, archaea, protists, and viruses. Woven into the humor is a bona fide crash course in parasitology, microbiology, and gene transfer ... --SEED A terrific introduction to the complicated beast that keeps us alive. --Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, author of Great Mythconceptions I enjoyed this lighthearted insider's guide to germs... I'd love to shrink down to microscopic size to see some of the odd lifeforms described in this book. --BoingBoing.net [F]riendly and engaging ... accessible to anyone who's curious about the mechanics of the human body. --The Age This surprisingly ambitious, eminently accessible book brilliantly summarizes the essential features of the immune system for a lay audience. The quirky humour masks an underlying authority and competence. The work is right up to date, even incorporating recent Nobel Prize winning insights into the evolutionarily ancient innate immune system. It is a triumph of popular medical science. --Sir Gustav Nossal, former Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Children's Vaccine Program 'An accessible account of a complex and important topic.' --Prof. Peter C. Doherty, Nobel Prize Winner

Author Information

Idan Ben-Barak holds a BSc in medical science and an MSc in microbiology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a PhD in the history and philosophy of science at the University of Sydney, and a library diploma. His first book, Small Wonders: how microbes rule our world was published by Scribe and translated into five languages. It won the 2010 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru SB&F (Science Books and Films) Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Young Adult category. He is the author of Do Not Lick This Book (Roaring Brook, June 2018), illustrated by the creator of the YouTube sensation Dumb Ways to Die.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available