Well-known for her popular science nonfiction and unique storytelling voice, Mary Roach somehow manages to make the mundane—and the outrageous—feel accessible and fascinating. In this 2010 release, she explores how humans survive in space. To decide how to handle basic bodily functions and wild what-ifs, space engineers and scientists devise all sorts of detailed tests to bring intergalactic conditions to earth. Roach takes us behind the scenes of these bizarre experiments to answer questions about gravity, bodies, and daily life in space. If you’ve read The Martian by Andy Weir and wondered just how much of it is based on facts, this book holds the answers.

The Washington Post calls Mary Roach "America's funniest science writer. Here, she "explores the science of keeping human beings intact, awake, sane, uninfected, and uninfested in the bizarre and extreme circumstances of war."

Mary Roach is widely known for her popular science nonfiction. In Stiff, Roach explores the history of human cadavers and their role in various scientific discoveries. With engrossing information on the process of human decomposition, organ donation, and various uses for human cadavers, Roach approaches the subject with humor. If your HSP tendencies include a weak stomach, this one may not be a great choice for you, but my HSP self found this fascinating.