Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

Written by:
Mary Roach
Narrated by:
Sandra Burr

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
15
Narrator
7
Release Date
August 2, 2010
Duration
10 hours 30 minutes
Summary
The best-selling author of Stiff and Bonk explores the irresistibly strange universe of space travel and life without gravity.

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour? To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.
Reviews
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A.D. Lee

Funny and aging book Full of interesting fact another tidbits you may never have known

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Pilarica

The book is fascinating and full of stories based on the real Science of space. Some of the questions that we have always had about how things work in Space; Roach has found the answer like what happens to one's vomit, urine, middle ear, and many other inquires. Roach conducted extensive research to write this book full of fascinating real stories and experiments that NASA and other countries studies to understand what it is to put a human in space. I just wich that Burr would have narrated the book with a bit more enthusiasm, she was very monotone.

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Kathleen Loucks

Lots of information told in an engaging way.. I love how Mary Roach's brain works. I think it's easier to "read" as an audio because she has a lot of footnotes to her story.

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Paul Kreinheder

An enlightening and rather funny look at the mundane challenges NASA must overcome for a successful manned mission to mars. It includes dedicated chapters on overcoming space sickness and disposal of human waste. This book is hilarious and a perfect traveling companion. -Ry

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