Duel Without End

In this panoramic and up-to-date account, we learn how the Black Death, smallpox, the Spanish flu and other great epidemics have led to enormous suffering and mass death, as well as contributing to the fall of empires and changing the course of history. We also discover how new infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 emerge.

Man has struck back at microbes – antibiotics and vaccines have saved millions of lives – but the battle with these relentless, silent enemies is far from won. We face increasing threats from new and unavoidable pandemics, antibiotic resistance and extra-terrestrial microbes. Duel Without End is a fascinating journey through the long history of infection, from the dawn of life to humanity’s future exploration of deep space.