In this eye-opening narrative, now in paperback, mediagenic doctor and research scientist Paul Offit presents seven scientific breakthroughs that backfired--with catastrophic consequences to our health and environment. History is filled with brilliant ideas that gave rise to disaster, and this book explores its most fascinating--and significant--missteps. Acclaimed physician and author Paul Offit offers a bouquet of riveting scientific misadventures: from opium's heyday to today's realization that it is devastatingly addictive; from the rise of trans fats to the heart disease epidemic that followed; from the cries to ban DDT to protect the environment to an epidemic-level rise in world malaria. These unwitting errors and more add up to seven lessons both cautionary and profound. In this riveting book, Offit uses these lessons to investigate how we can tell sin from science, using some of today's most controversial creations--e-cigarettes,GMOs, drug treatments for ADHD as case studies. For every "aha!" moment that should have been an "oh no," Pandora's Lab is an engrossing account of how science has been misused--and how we can learn to use its power for good. * RIVETING SUBJECT: Disaster tales are always fascinating, and any one of these seven stories will create a strong word-of-mouth buzz. * ON-BRAND TOPIC: The vital role of science and health in our lives is the perfect subject for National Geographic; the "War on Science" was one of National Geographic's most successful cover stories of 2015.

* MEDIAGENIC AUTHOR: Author of six books with more than 50,000 copies in print per Bookscan, Offit is a smart, experienced, and articulate promoter. He has been frequently interviewed on topics of health and medical science by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. He has a robust speaking schedule and is an enthusiastic self-promoter. * CONTRARIAN APPROACH: Easy to read and relate to, Offit's stories of scientific misadventures often contradict public opinion and set the record straight.