Panic in Level 4
Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science
1 of 1 copy available
Panic in Level 4 is a grand tour through the eerie and unforgettable universe of Richard Preston, filled with incredible characters and mysteries that refuse to leave one’s mind. Here are dramatic true stories from this acclaimed and award-winning author, including:
• The phenomenon of “self-cannibals,” who suffer from a rare genetic condition caused by one wrong letter in their DNA that forces them to compulsively chew their own flesh–and why everyone may have a touch of this disease.
• The search for the unknown host of Ebola virus, an organism hidden somewhere in African rain forests, where the disease finds its way into the human species, causing outbreaks of unparalleled horror.
• The brilliant Russian brothers–“one mathematician divided between two bodies”–who built a supercomputer in their apartment from mail-order parts in an attempt to find hidden order in the number pi (π).
In fascinating, intimate, and exhilarating detail, Richard Preston portrays the frightening forces and constructive discoveries that are currently roiling and reordering our world, once again proving himself a master of the nonfiction narrative and, as noted in The Washington Post, “a science writer with an uncommon gift for turning complex biology into riveting page-turners.”
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 27, 2008 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781415949689
- File size: 225167 KB
- Duration: 07:49:05
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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The author compounds several of his science reports reprised from articles in the NEW YORKER. Although the articles may seem eclectic, the gestalt demonstrates "how few degrees of separation there are between far-flung areas of scientific endeavors." Narrator James Lurie assumes the role of the author, who writes in the first person. Lurie's testosterone-stoked voice strikes a rapid pace, undaunted by the abundant technical terms. Two of his impersonations stand out. One is the voice of a Russian-Jewish émigré and computer whiz working on pi to several billion digits. The other interviewee suffers from a gruesome genetic syndrome, and Mr. Lurie speaks for him as though he had cerebral palsy. Done without mockery or indiscretion, the result imparts a deserved empathy for the disorder. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine -
May 26, 2008
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer"'s James Lurie brings his rich, honeyed baritone to Prestons book of essays on radical science. The book is rather uneven. The first chapter is an overly self-referential account of Prestons own laboratory encounter with the Ebola virus he made famous in "The Hot Zone"; the other essays are more traditional portraits of scientists on the frontier of discovery. Lurie conjures an engaging and credible Russian accent when speaking for two immigrant mathematicians who are racing to determine all the digits of pi. But he is inconsistent and strained when attempting a genetics researchers British accent. Still, listeners will enjoy the way both Preston and Lurie uncover the humanity of great researchers, whether they are attempting to save hemlock and chestnut trees from fast-encroaching diseases or help those suffering from Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a rare condition that causes its victims to compulsively consume their own flesh. "A Random House hardcover (reviews, Apr. 21). (June)" . -
April 21, 2008
The title of New Yorker
contributor Preston’s new collection refers to the subject of his bestselling The Hot Zone
: a series of rooms in a government biohazard laboratory where scientists work with virulent pathogens like the Ebola viruses that would be devastating in the hands of terrorists. The essays (all from the New Yorker
) cover such scientific matters as a profile of controversial über-genome mapper Craig Venter; a gene that leads people to cannibalize themselves; and two Russian-Jewish émigré scientists who built a monster computer in their cramped apartment to puzzle out patterns in the value of pi. Preston’s essay on the destruction of large swaths of eastern U.S. forests by insect parasites accidentally brought into the country from abroad is the shortest but most compelling. Preston might have done more to update his pieces; for example, the Marburg virus was found in bats last year, supporting his hypothesis that they are the reservoir for Ebola. But Preston’s fans will enjoy his showing how few degrees of separation there are between far-flung areas of scientific endeavors. Illus.
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