Dangerous Miracle

<p><b>Antibiotics: one of humanity’s greatest achievements – but invented by microbes.</b><br><br><b>An epic narrative of discovery and innovation – but also of extraction and exploitation.</b><br><br><b>This is the spellbinding story of how we have burned through the fossil fuels of medicine.</b><br><br>Since their advent, antibiotics have saved millions of lives, marking one of the greatest medical advances in our history. <i>Dangerous Miracle </i>weaves together the grand arc of the evolution of antibiotics over millions of years with a history of the past century: first as we mined the earth for naturally occurring antibiotic molecules, then as we learned to synthesise our own.<br><br>But like fossil fuels, antibiotics are a finite resource which we’ve regarded as a cheap, everlasting fuel. They are unlike other drugs: every time we use them we increase the possibility of antibiotic resistance emerging, risking their future effectiveness. If we want antibiotics to have a future, we need to prepare to adapt. And fast.<br><br>Rich with pioneering characters, great breakthroughs and grave risks, <i>Dangerous Miracle</i> is a grand drama of science, history and politics. It is a revelatory account of the miraculous history and uncertain future of antibiotics from a gifted writer.</p>