Science writing news

A blue man shows up in a hospital emergency department, then a red woman, then a yellow one, and soon large numbers of people display a kaleidoscope of colors. A rogue biologist has exposed them surreptitiously to a genetically engineered virus that takes over the body’s melanocytes, producing the unnatural hues. Worse, the colors serve as a marker of the scientist’s intent to employ bioweapons to create worldwide mayhem. The FBI’s on the case, and so is the CDC. In his sci-fi novel, The Rainbow Virus, Dennis Meredith provides a behind-the-scenes look at forensic and epidemiological detective work.

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“A box jellyfish is little more than goo, yet it can kill a man in less than five minutes. A spider or a scorpion can be unceremoniously crushed under our feet, yet some of their venoms can take us out just as easily,” Christie Wilcox reports in Venomous: How Earth’s Deadliest Creatures Mastered Biochemistry. In this book, based on her PhD research, Wilcox introduces us to venom scientists around the world, telling what venoms do and how they work, and exploring their present and potential medical applications. She also includes stories of survivors of near-fatal venom exposure, individuals who — for highs or putative health benefits — self-inject venoms, and even venom-using murderers. And yes, Wilcox also recounts her own run-ins with venomous barbs and stingers.

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In The Autoimmune Connection, Rita Baron-Faust explores autoimmune diseases that are found more frequently in women than in men. These include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren’s Syndrome, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, immune thrombocytopenia, and inflammatory bowel disease. Some women have two or more of these disorders, she notes. Because symptoms such as fatigue or pain often are vague and overlap, diagnosis may be delayed or missed. In this update of her 2004 book, Baron-Faust reports recent advances in understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of autoimmune disorders.

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After his 19-year-old son Roman became paralyzed in a 1994 college football game, Don Reed immersed himself in learning about and advocating for stem cell research. His book, Stem Cell Battles: Proposition 71 and Beyond, chronicles efforts to educate the public and convince legislators to support stem cell research, first in California in 2004, and later in other states, and nationally. Reed humanizes the research, telling stories of individuals affected by disorders for which stem cell research holds promise, and of scientists working to advance treatment.

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