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Tells the inside story of all the recent 'scares' over the past 2 decades, including the Millennium Bug, bird flu, DDT, passive smoking, asbestos and global warming. By analysing the role of scientists, the media, lobbyists, politicians and officials, it is possible to see that we often come up with disproportionate responses that cost us hundreds of billions of pounds.
Synopsis
From salmonella in eggs to BSE, from the Millennium Bug to bird 'flu, from DDT to passive smoking, from asbestos to global warming, 'scares' have become one of the most conspicuous and damaging features of our modern world. This book tells the inside story of each of the major scares, showing how they have followed a remarkably consistent pattern.