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

Space…the final frontier:

where intrepid heroes break free from the mortal bonds of Mother Earth to experience such singular marvels as:

1. Fecal popcorning (definition forthcoming);
2. Condom-shaped urinal devices (with different sizes for, um, different sizes);
3. Weightless Flight Regurgitation Phenomenon (Hint: turns out gravity is a vital part of both swallowing food and keeping it locked down in the tummy);
4. The pleasures, subject to NASA regulations, of Zero-G copulation; and
5. The breath-taking beauty of witnessing a "sun-illumined flurry of flash-frozen waste-water droplets" against the blackness of space.

Plus, these "right stuffers" get to enjoy the potentially fatal dangers of vomiting during a spacewalk, and, ironically, the related joy of consuming food substances comprised primarily of "melted lard, milk protein, Knox gelatin, cornstarch, sucrose."

As she states early in this fun-packed romp through the history of space exploration, "Space doesn't just encompass the sublime and the ridiculous. It erases the line between." Well, this book does exactly that, and Mary Roach deserves a standing ovation for skillfully balancing well-researched, interesting facts, with hilarious "insider" anecdotes, and wrapping it up in a presentation that is entertaining from start to finish.

Light-hearted yet detailed, Roach navigates her material with a high degree of deft and provides information on a range of topics in a manner that is easily digestible (unlike some of the space food discussed). Despite my lop-sided references above to the more humorous topics addressed, there's a little bit of everything in this survey of humanity's sojourns into the void. Ms. Roach provides fascinating information on numerous topics, both scientific and practical, highlighting the challenges of space exploration. A few of the less comical, but just as interesting, chapters include discussions on:

** The various psychological problems that arise as a result of extended isolation, including madness, euphoria and suicidal tendencies.

** The almost unimaginable complications involved in trying to heft a Earth-made object, carrying oxygen-breathing mammals into a airless, zero gravity environment. "Apollo 8 has 5,600,000 parts…Even if all functioned with 99.9 percent reliability, we could expect 5,600 defects." Since any one of those defects could lead to disaster, the amount of testing and preparation involved is similarly staggering.

** The affects that extended weightlessness has on the human body, from loss of bone density and muscle tone, to the actual shifting of organs in side the body.

** The dramatic change in the optimum qualities making up the "right stuff" in today's space program, versus those required in the early days of space flight.

However, I admit that it was when Mary delved into those "little discussed" areas where natural human functions intersected with the challenges of space that I had the most fun. In particular, the struggle with ingesting and evacuating foodstuffs (and I use that word loosely) while in the cramped, awkward, shared confinement of a space module was a veritable golden shower of poop jokes and naughty bit references, sure to please the inner, developmentally-arrested child in you*.

Therefore, as promised above, here is fecal popcorning, as described by Ms. Roach: Because everything else is frozen, the material that's going in, depending on how hard the stool is, has a tendency to bounce off the walls. You've seen the old air-pop popcorn machines? There's an air flow in there and it's kind of circulating. That material's just floating around in the air stream, and it tends to come back up the tube. Howdy doody. What really makes the above quote work is Roach's perfect delivery of the last two words, and that kind of well-timed, clever humor peppers the narrative. By the way, fecal popcorning is not even close to the most uncomfortable feature of space-based defection, but I will leave the other nuggets for you to discover on your own.

As funny as this can be, in the end, what really sets this apart from simple comedy shtick, which would get old very fast, is how much information Mary effortlessly imparts and her obvious admiration for the men and women involved. From lectures on g-forces assailing the body, to the unnatural effect of zero-G, to the myriad of other extreme mental and physical stresses to which the body is subjected, Mary will leave you with a heightened appreciation for the courage of these unique people.

Also, underlying all of the light-heartedness and the humorous anecdotes is the message of the wonders of space exploration, the awe-inspiring dedication of the people that carry it out, and the importance to the human spirit that such endeavors continue. Even the funny bits, in addition to serving up yucks, serve to increase the positive perception of these mythic figures known as astronauts by creating a more human connection with the rest of us.

I want to end with what I found to be the most moving passage in the entire book. In it, Mary Roach sums up her attitude towards space exploration, while responding to those that argue that the money spent on such luxuries a manned excursion to Mars would be better spent on the ground. The nobility of the human spirit grows harder for me to believe in. War, zealotry, greed, malls, narcissism. I see a backhanded nobility in excessive, impractical outlays of cash prompted by nothing loftier than a species joining hands and saying "I bet we can do this." Yes, the money could be better spent on Earth. But would it? Since when has money saved by government red-lining been spent on education and cancer research? It is always squandered. Let's squander some on Mars. Let's go out and play.

Well said, Ms. Roach, well said.

4.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

* I admit that two full chapters on bowel movements began to wear a little thin at the end, but that's just me.