Liam Shaw: Dangerous Miracle

Antibiotics - one of humanity’s greatest achievements, but invented by microbes.

Join biologist and author, Liam Shaw, on Thursday 11th September at 7pm, as he chats about his new epic narrative of scientific discovery, Dangerous Miracle.

Since their advent, antibiotics have saved millions of lives, marking one of the greatest medical advances in our history. Dangerous Miracle 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.

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. Rich with pioneering characters, great breakthroughs and grave risks, Dangerous Miracle is a grand drama of science, history and politics. It is a revelatory account of of the miraculous history and uncertain future of antibiotics from a gifted writer.

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Doors: 6.30pm, event starts: 7pm, please arrive early to secure a good seat.

Tickets are £3 and there is a Ticket & Book option which includes a signed copy of Dangerous Miracle by Liam Shaw.

The bookshop has level access, events are seated and speakers use microphones. If you have any concerns about accessibility, please do get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Refunds are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, we are unable to offer a refund after the event.

For more information or if you would like a signed copy because you can't make it to the event, please contact the Blackwell's events team on 0131 622 8222 or matthew.land@waterstones.com