Planning Miracles

A groundbreaking book about the past, present, and future of pandemics, and a behind-the-scenes portrait of the intrepid and innovative community of scientists working tirelessly to stop the next one before it starts

In 1955, the vaccine that eliminated polio was celebrated as a “planned miracle." Today, despite the astonishing global effort that came together to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 at unprecedented speed, we struggle against the rise of science denial and misinformation. Since 2020, we have had to face a terrifying truth: It’s not if we’ll experience another pandemic, it’s when. How do we prepare?

Planning Miracles tells the stories of the committed scientists at the front lines, fighting back against societal distrust and panic, monitoring the threats that exist, detecting outbreaks early, and developing new interventions as quickly as possible. Renowned science reporter Jon Cohen travels from the mountains of Vietnam to the rainforests in the Amazon, from the “wet” markets in Cambodia to fairgrounds in the United States, exploring how we can better defend ourselves against the growing threat of pandemics, and he finds surprising—and encouraging—answers. Cohen meets scientists sampling bats, pigs, wild birds, poultry, and insects to hunt for the next dangerous virus. He visits labs developing next-generation vaccines with cutting-edge technology that aim to protect us from entire viral families. Cohen discovers the unexpected links between climate change and the spread of disease and describes efforts to improve the equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and data sharing around the world.

Weaving together history, reportage, and science writing, Planning Miracles is revelatory and necessary—providing hope that if we work together to plan for the next pandemic, we can avoid disaster.