Packing for Mars

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
by Mary Roach [591.091 Roa]

The latest from Roach (Stiff, Spook and Bonk) brings her sense of humor and scientific curiosity to bear on the the various scientific pursuits that are required when preparing astronauts for trips into outer space -- both to near-Earth orbit and for a theoretical mission to Mars. Roach specializes in unearthing the tiny, trivial details about topics...the things an ordinary person would never think to ask about, yet which turn out to be endlessly fascinating once they're revealed. In this volume, in addition to looking at the physical and psychological testing and training of astronauts, she poses such questions as "how would you have sex without gravity?", "could you die if you threw up in your spacesuit helmet?", "what are the long-term effects of not bathing?", "why do astronauts often faint when they return to Earth", and "what's really going into those strange space foods the scientists are preparing for future exploratory missions?". Roach's sense of humor infuses every page, but so does her sense of curiosity. You'll move from cringes and winces on one page, to laughing out loud on the next. An essential read for space enthusiasts and fans of "observational humor." -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in downloadable audio and book-on-cd formats.]

[ official Mary Roach web site ]

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