Panic in Level 4: Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science

June 15, 2010 | By In Health Tips |

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5 Comments so far

  1. Eleanor on June 15th, 2010

    I was excited to read this book, which was highly recommended to me by a friend. However, while I was able to plod through a few sections, this says nothing about the author’s writing skills but rather goes to show that, no matter how horrible the writing is, fascinating material is fascinating material. If you like to read books written entirely in short, stilted sentences with no narrative flow, read this book. Otherwise – don’t.
    Rating: 1 / 5

  2. Simon Cleveland on June 15th, 2010

    The Hot Zone’ was an exceptional book and so ‘Panic in Level 4′ sounded very promising at first. The book is a collection of writings Mr. Preston did over a period of a few years. Only a couple of them refer to the terrible viral outbreaks, such as the African Ebola. I wasn’t to fond of reading about the self-cannibalization disorder, it seemed to depressing. I recommend ‘Demon In The Freezer’, much more engaging read.

    Rating: 3 / 5

  3. Stephanie Williams on June 15th, 2010

    Panic in Level 4: Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science

    This book is wonderful as it delves into the 2 mathmeticians who claim to be 1 mathmetician in 2 seperate bodies, the people born with self Cannibalism syndrome and we get to see their humanity. I loved it.
    Rating: 5 / 5

  4. Loyd E. Eskildson on June 15th, 2010

    Preston begins by taking a “tour” into the Level 4 labs at the Army Research Institute for Infectious Diseases. Readers learn both of the incredibly dangers posed by some of the diseases being researched there, and the precautions taken to prevent their infecting anyone.

    The first chapter tells the rather frustrating story of two Russian mathematics PhDs who built their own supercomputer for $70,000 in one of their N.Y.C. apartments. They are determined to calculate pi to a detail level greater than anyone else. Archimedes made an early effort (concluded it was between 3 10/71 and 3 1/7), ultimately followed by the ENIAC computer in 1949 (2,037 places), then 200 million places by a large IBM computer in the late 1980s, and ultimately 2.26 billion by the Russian brothers, beating out others using million+ supercomputers by Hitachi and Cray.

    Another chapter begins with tracing an African Ebola outbreak to Patient Zero – a 42-year-old self-employed charcoal maker who also tended a couple of maize fields carved out of the forest. After arriving home one day he began bleeding, was taken to the hospital, and died soon after. Then three members of his family, followed by ten more of his extended family. Next it spread to other patients and then staff at the town’s two hospitals.

    A few doctors and nurses demonstrated incredible courage by staying with their Ebola patients, knowing death was the likely outcome for themselves. Fortunately, some survived. The “good news” is that after townspeople fled the hospitals the outbreak stopped.

    Scientists then trapped a large variety of animals and insects in the area looking for carriers – nothing was found. (A much smaller outbreak two months prior in the Ivory Coast was linked to wild chimps, though it was not learned how they obtained the virus – fatal to them as well.)

    Another horror story involved several young Americans with a genetic disorder that caused them to be especially charming, yet also chew off the tips of their fingers, attempt to harm those they liked, and then apologize profusely. Preston’s interviewees included the leading researcher in the area, and a patient.
    Rating: 4 / 5

  5. Reading Runner on June 15th, 2010

    I was pretty disapointed with this book. I really enjoyed some of Preston’s novels however this one jumped around to much. I did not like the fact that this book was made up of 6 stories. Though each story was interesting, the book skipped around to much and was at times too repetitive.
    Rating: 2 / 5

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