Packing for Mars

Mary Roach’s quirky approach makes complex science so fun — I wonder what sparked her interest in this peculiar niche of space history.

The book dives into some pretty bizarre and visceral topics, which made me laugh but also slightly squeamish. Was I the only one who found certain parts surprisingly vivid?

There’s so much interesting material in space science, but Roach’s selections felt carefully curated. I’d love to know how she chose which stories to highlight.