Westward to Promontory

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Bizarre illnesses and plagues kill in unspeakable ways, while scientists obsessively strive to solve mysteries and save lives. Richard Preston's bestselling works, from "The Hot Zone" to "The Demon in the Freezer," reveal strange worlds of nature that captivate readers. "Panic in Level 4" offers a grand tour through Preston's eerie universe, featuring incredible characters and unforgettable mysteries. Among the dramatic true stories are: the phenomenon of "self-cannibals," individuals with a rare genetic condition caused by a single DNA mutation that compels them to chew their own flesh—suggesting that everyone may carry a hint of this affliction; the quest for the unknown host of the Ebola virus, hidden in African rainforests, where it spills into the human population, leading to outbreaks of unparalleled horror; and the brilliant Russian brothers—"one mathematician divided between two bodies"—who constructed a supercomputer from mail-order parts in their apartment to uncover hidden order in the number pi (π). With fascinating detail, Preston explores the frightening forces and groundbreaking discoveries reshaping our world, reaffirming his status as a master of nonfiction narrative and a science writer with a unique ability to turn complex biology into riveting stories.