The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science

Science, usually a force for good, can be twisted into something sinister when scientists become obsessed. Bestselling author Sam Kean recounts the true story of how unfettered ambition drives rational men and women to cross ethical boundaries and commit crimes in the name of science.

This book traces the origins of modern science from ancient Egypt to the transatlantic slave trade of the 1700s, Thomas Edison’s support of the electric chair, and the warped logic of spies in the Manhattan Project. It also reveals the lasting impact of scientific sins, such as medical abuses in Tuskegee and Nazi Germany, on current vaccine hesitancy and mental health care. Kean even explores the potential consequences of advanced computers and genetic engineering.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)