Chronicles the story of how humanity has increased its overall longevity rates over the past centuries, highlighting and celebrating the innovators and inventions in medicine and technology that have made longer and better lives possible in the present--including vaccines, the invention and collection of public health data, and safer vehicles to drive.

"Adapted for young readers"--Cover.

The speckled monster (vaccines) -- The detectives (public health data) -- Mapping the Seventh Ward (social epidemiology) -- Safe as milk (pasteurization) -- Beyond the placebo effect (drug testing and regulation) -- The mold that changed the world (antibiotics) -- The rocket sled (automobile safety) -- Feed the world (the decline of famine) -- The work left to do.