I am a huge fan of scientific fiction, especially those novels that include microorganisms as central characters or plot devices. Students in my undergraduate class read novels as the focal point of integrative learning. The article below describes my use of "microbe fiction" in my courses, and includes a list of some of my favorite novels.
JUST PUBLISHED:
#FEMSmicroBlog: Learning about microbes from popular fiction
Recent Favorites
Amy Rogers, Petroplague (2011): A genetically engineered bacterium consumes petroleum and fuel leading to an environmental cataclysm in Southern California
Amy Rogers, Reversion (2014): A rabies virus-derived vector for gene therapy reverts to wild-type causing an outbreak in a Mexican clinic
Amy Rogers, The Han Agent (2017): A Japanese lab engineers a flu virus to selective attack the Chinese population
Robin Cook, Pandemic (2018): CRISPR/Cas-9 is used to engineer animal organs for transplantation in humans, causing an outbreak of flu-like disease in recipients
Lawrence Wright, The End of October (2020): An influenza-like virus spreads globally in a deadly pandemic
Amy Rogers, Reversion (2014): A rabies virus-derived vector for gene therapy reverts to wild-type causing an outbreak in a Mexican clinic
Amy Rogers, The Han Agent (2017): A Japanese lab engineers a flu virus to selective attack the Chinese population
Robin Cook, Pandemic (2018): CRISPR/Cas-9 is used to engineer animal organs for transplantation in humans, causing an outbreak of flu-like disease in recipients
Lawrence Wright, The End of October (2020): An influenza-like virus spreads globally in a deadly pandemic