BOOK REVIEW: SCIENTISTS GREATER THAN EINSTEIN: THE BIGGEST LIFESAVERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Compiled By: Mbeyune Hanani K

Billy Woodward, in his book doesn’t degrade Einstein’s brilliance or his iconic inventions but he has greater passion for celebrating the lesser-known scientists whose discoveries have not only enriched our lives, but also literally saved them. He includes the biographical details that humanize his subjects, as well as the scientific details that draw us into their process. He profiles ten scientists and demonstrates a deeper conviction that they ought to be, and he seeks to make their inventions known.

You may know how Ian Fleming accidentally discovered that a compound from the Penicillium Mold would kill bacteria. But you may not know that Fleming didn’t think it would be possible to isolate enough stable penicillin to make a drug, and he didn’t even try. In this book, you’ll know the debt you and I owe to Howard Florey, whose team never gave up so easily, overcoming obstacles all to make penicillin into a miracle drug.

You may as well know the name Jonas Salk, who is credited with the vaccine that vanquished polio. Salk instead gave credit to another name: "Dr. [John] Enders pitched a very long forward pass, and I happened to be in the right place to receive it." Woodward records that forward pass, which are the years Enders spent developing the cell culture techniques that make most modern vaccines possible.

In the eleventh chapter, Woodward tries to capitalize on his poignant chronicles of lifesaving medical research to make a political push, arguing for increased funding for medical research. He further records his inclusion of DDT as one of the great lifesaving inventions. He includes it because many nations used it to eradicate mosquitos which spread malaria. He acknowledges that DDT isn’t perfect, but he emphasizes that a tiny amount of DDT can stop a lot of malaria, and he doesn’t think it’s too dangerous if used in low amounts.

The stories herein not only depict life-saving endings, but also illuminate the determination that made these endings possible. Get yourself a copy and find out more.

Compiled By: Mbeyune Hanani K