Two of the world's most respected scientists reveal the forces behind the dangerous anti-science movement-and show us how to fight back
From pandemics to the climate crisis, humanity faces tougher challenges than ever. Whether it's the health of our people or the health of our planet, we know we are on an unsustainable path. But our efforts to effectively tackle these existential crises are now hampered by a common threat: politically and ideologically motivated opposition to science.
Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez are two of the most respected and well-known scientists in the world and have spent the last twenty years on the front lines of the battle to convey accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information about science in the face of determined and nihilistic opposition.
In this powerful manifesto, they reveal the five main forces threatening science: plutocrats, pros, petrostates, phonies, and the press. It is a call to arms and a road map for dismantling the forces of anti-science. Armed with the information in this book, we can be empowered to promote scientific truths, shine light on channels of dark money, dismantle the corporations poisoning the planet, and ultimately avert disaster.
Michael E. Mann is presidential distinguished professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania. He is director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. He contributed to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences in 2020. He lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Peter J. Hotez is dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he is also the codirector of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine and, in 2022, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the COVID-19 vaccine. He Lives in Houston, Texas.
"One can forgive the coauthors for straying from clinical detachment and instead writing with sharp edges, flashes of bitterness, and even a touch of snark. Both have endured frightening personal attacks simply for championing science. Tim Campbell's sonorous authoritative voice has a journalistic feel, but what makes his performance exceptional is how he channels the audiobook's passion. He leans into the urgency, pointedness, and occasional sarcasm without sounding strident. Focusing on climate change and vaccines, the authors pull no punches in their critique of the anti-science movement, and Campbell mirrors their intensity. The result is not a dry lecture but an urgent, engrossing report from the front lines. D.B. � AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine"
