Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic

Fungi are everywhere, some are harmless, some are helpful, and a few are killers. Infectious fungi are the most devastating agents of disease on Earth, and changing climate, trade, and travel are making us more vulnerable to invasion. Emily Monosson's reporting demonstrates that prevention is difficult but not impossible, and Blight serves as a wake-up call, a reminder of the delicate interconnectedness of the natural world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 18 July 2023
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Fungi are ubiquitous, with most being harmless or even beneficial. However, a small subset of fungi possess the ability to cause devastating diseases. Collectively, infectious fungi rank as the most destructive agents of illness on Earth, and a fungus that can survive in the environment without a host is here to stay. In her captivating and accessible prose, Emily Monosson delves into how changing climate, trade, and travel are increasing our vulnerability to invasion. Populations of bats, frogs, and salamanders are facing extinction, and scientists are at a loss for a cure. The American Northwest's beloved National Parks are adorned with the skeletal remains of white bark pines. Food crops are under siege, jeopardizing our coffee, bananas, and wheat, and thus, our global food security. In humans, Candida auris infects hospital patients and individuals with weakened immune systems. Monosson's critical reporting underscores the challenges of prevention, but also highlights the possibility of overcoming them. Blight serves as a stark reminder of the delicate interconnectedness of the natural world, urging us to take action to protect our environment and ourselves from the threat posed by fungi.

Weight: 452g
Dimension: 239 x 160 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324007012