Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive

Immune is an illustrated exploration of the human immune system from Philipp Dettmer, creator of the popular science YouTube channel Kurzgesagt—In a Nutshell. The immune system is second only to the brain in complexity and is critical to survival. Without it, a person would die within days. Dettmer takes readers through the body's defenses and the constant battles occurring within us, involving invasion, strategy, defeat, and self-sacrifice. The book covers elements of the immune system including antibodies, inflammation, bacteria, allergies, and cancer, while explaining topics such as why boosting immunity is ineffective, how parasites evade defenses, how viruses function, and what happens in wounds. Each chapter addresses a different aspect of immunology. The book uses full-color graphics and detailed descriptions to present immunology as an interconnected and complex subject, turning it into an accessible introduction to one of the body's most important systems.