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What Members Thought

An investigation into life in space and our future prospects of heading to Mars. Basically, a great accompaniment to The Martian, especially since Mary Roach is known for her conversational style and love of the absurd. Where else will you read lines like, "Nothing was shot in zero gravity...I happen to know what a "cum shot in total weightlessness" would look like. I know because I've read the 1972 NASA study "Some Flow Properties of Foods in Null Gravity," and those foods included butterscotch
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I really liked this book, it was interesting, educational, and often hilarious. (The author's footnoted asides are generally hilarious.) I am interested in space travel and the logistics thereof, and this book examined many aspects of that in detail. (LOTS of detail, even when I was tired of it. Let me say this: I didn't mind the chapter (or two?) on waste elimination, but could have done without the chapter on motion sickness.)
I liked this better than Spook, but that could be because the subjec ...more
I liked this better than Spook, but that could be because the subjec ...more

You really can’t go wrong with Mary Roach.

The science of space travel is fascinating, deeply weird, and in many respects, really gross. Zero gravity combined with things like motion sickness, necessary bodily functions, small confined spaces and spacesuits- makes for a story that is sometimes ewwww, often hilarious, but overall well worth the read.

Jul 02, 2010
akaellen
marked it as to-read

Mar 09, 2015
Megan
marked it as to-read

Apr 02, 2015
Felicia
marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2015
Lynne
marked it as to-read-science

Apr 03, 2016
Kim Marques
marked it as to-read


Mar 05, 2020
Clare
marked it as to-read

Apr 13, 2020
Tribefan
marked it as to-read

Jul 21, 2022
Rhiannon
rated it
really liked it
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science