In Longshot, investigative journalist David Heath takes readers inside the small group of scientists whose groundbreaking work was once largely dismissed but whose feat will now eclipse the importance of Jonas Salk's polio vaccine in medical history. With never-before-reported details, Heath reveals how these scientists overcame countless obstacles to give the world an unprecedented head start when we needed a COVID-19 vaccine.

Introduction -- Ready for a pandemic -- History of vaccines -- The underrated scientist -- The collaboration -- Scientific sabotage -- Who founded Moderna? -- Enter Stéphane Bancel -- Tackling a childhood disease -- Tragic trial -- Vaccine Research Center -- MERS -- Zika -- The race -- Epilogue -- What are the scientists doing now?