The full inside story of the high-stakes global race for the lifesaving vaccine to end the pandemic.

Heroic science. Chaotic politics. Billionaire entrepreneurs. In The First Shots, award-winning journalist Brendan Borrell brings to life the defining story of our times through absorbing, first-time reporting on those leading the fight against a vicious virus.

Borrell draws on exclusive, high-level access to take us inside the intense competition among brilliant scientists and the epic rivalries among Washington power players. His propulsive narrative depicts key players such as infectious-diseases expert Michael Callahan, who was secretly on the ground in Wuhan to gauge the terrifying ravages of ‘disease X’; Robert Kadlec, one of Operation Warp Speed’s architects, whose audacious plans ran straight into the buzz-saw of the Trump White House factions; and Stéphane Bancel of Moderna Therapeutics, the upstart company that went toe to toe with pharma behemoth Pfizer.

A real-life thriller playing out over eighteen months of fear, resolve and triumph, The First Shots lays bare the stunning story behind the medical-science ‘moonshot’ of our lifetimes.

This textbook gives students the scientific foundation they need to understand environmental issues and think critically about possible solutions. Written by bestselling author Manuel Molles and acclaimed science journalist Brendan Borrell, both authors are able to make clear connections between research and real-world problems with a "science/issues/solutions" framework for each chapter. Written to empower students to feel that they can have a huge impact on preserving biodiversity, protecting natural resources and addressing pollution hazards and the changes in our climate. Environment is available with LaunchPad. LaunchPad combines an interactive ebook with high-quality multimedia content and ready-made assessment options, including LearningCurve adaptive quizzing. See 'Instructor Resources' and 'Student Resources' for further information.