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Dangerous Miracle

The Extraordinary History of Antibiotics – and How We’re Burning Through Them
By Liam Shaw
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Brief Description
Antibiotics: invented by microbes, mined by humans - and now we are running out. Discover their miraculous history and how we confront their uncertain future in this epic story of progress, power and exploitation. Riveting ... In combining the passion of Robert Macfarlane with the incisiveness... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3500
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Antibiotics: invented by microbes, mined by humans - and now we are running out. Discover their miraculous history and how we confront their uncertain future in this epic story of progress, power and exploitation.

Riveting ... In combining the passion of Robert Macfarlane with the incisiveness of Patrick Radden Keefe, Shaw has announced himself as a brilliant new voice in science writing - Rachel Clarke, Spectator

Antibiotics. Invented by microbes. Mined by humans.

The discovery of antibiotics is one of humanity's greatest achievements, saving millions of lives and changing the world forever.

But, unlike other drugs, each time we take antibiotics we use up a finite resource. And now we are running out.

This is the spellbinding story of how we learned to harness the fossil fuels of medicine - and an urgent call to adapt, so they can hold a place in our future.

This history of scientific discovery and corporate greed chronicles arguably the most significant technological advance of the 20th century ... A lively history and a stark warning - Sunday Times, Best Books of the Year

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529967784

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 August 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 246g

Pages: 352

Collections

Education & Reference Health & Wellness History & Archaeology History & Military Liam Shaw Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Pre-Orders Penguin Books Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Science & Nature Self-Help & Personal Development

About the Author

Liam Shaw is a biologist researching the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance. After a four-year Wellcome funded fellowship at the University of Oxford, he now leads a research group at the University of Bristol. His writing has appeared in the London Review of Books, Morning Star, and Private Eye. Dangerous Miracle is his first book.

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  • Dangerous Miracle
    Antibiotics - one of humanity's greatest achievements, yet they were invented by bacteria. Dangerous Miracle is an epic narrative of scientific discovery and innovation, but also of the exploitation of the natural world in the pursuit of the 'fossil fuels' of medicine. Antibiotics - one of humanity's greatest achievements - but invented by microbes. An epic narrative of discovery and...
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