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We think of science as a force for good - usually. So much of contemporary society is linked to scientific discovery that the word "science" has practically become synonymous with truth and progress. But what was the cost of that progress? And how far were scientists willing to go in order to test the boundaries that gave way to our modern world? The Icepick Surgeon exposes this darker history, delving into the human costs of scientific study and examining what exactly pushes these otherwise rational men and women to cross the line in the name of science. Using fascinating case examples and posing essential questions of right and wrong, Sam Kean guides us through a history of malpractice and moral compromise, from Edison's mercenary support of execution by electricity and the Nazis' unpardonable explorations of human suffering on through the quandaries that lie ahead, with science ushering us into an unknown world.