Mary Roach

Mary Roach is the bestselling author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Six Feet Over: Adventures in the Afterlife, and Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. She has written for The Guardian, Wired, GQ, and Vogue, among many publications. She lives in California.

Books by Mary Roach

Packing for Mars

ISBN: 9781851688234
Binding: 
Paperback
Extent: 
312 pages
Subjects: 
Science

Packing for Mars

The Curious Science of Life in Space

What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? When you can’t have sex? Or smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles an hour?

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh veg, privacy, beer. To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations, and as Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. Packing for Mars takes us on a surreally entertaining voyage into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

"Packed with juicy informative nuggets … weird, wonderful and very funny."
Independent on Sunday

"Much to make you ponder the extraordinary achievements of those lucky few who have left Mother Earth."
Mail on Sunday

"Written in a style that deserves comparison with Bill Bryson, I found myself hooked from page one."
Spaceflight

"Funny..informative, and entertaining."
PopularScience.co.uk

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