Book of the Week - "Packing for Mars: The curious science of life in the Void" by Mary Roach. Space is a word 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 when you can't walk for a year? 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, Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.