Becoming Martian
How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds
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- 15,99 €
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- 15,99 €
Descrição da editora
How living in space will affect future generations—and what the potential unintended consequences of space settlements are.
We are on the cusp of a golden age of space travel in which, for the first time, it will be possible for large numbers of people to venture into space. Some intend to stay. But what happens—and will happen—to us in the extreme conditions of space? What should space tourists expect to happen to them during a journey to an orbiting space station, the Moon, or Mars? What would happen to children born on another planet? Would they evolve into a new species? In Becoming Martian, Scott Solomon explores the many ways in which humanity’s migration into space will change our bodies and our minds.
This book focuses on the latest science, taking readers to the front lines of research. We hear from astronauts, including Scott Kelly who writes the foreword, and we join a team of scientists guiding a rover across the surface of Mars. We visit a high-security lab where engineers are simulating space radiation to measure its effects on the body. We travel to isolated islands where field biologists are gleaning insights into evolutionary processes applicable to people isolated on faraway planets. We meet synthetic biologists developing gene-editing tools to equip future humans to thrive in alien environments. We watch a rocket designed to carry humanity to Mars make its first successful launch. And then we ask, knowing what we know: Should we go?
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Solomon (Future Humans), a biology professor at Rice University, delivers an underwhelming exploration of the long-term consequences of humans migrating to space. While scientists and science fiction writers have long been fixated on the idea of settling on Mars, Solomon explains the many challenges humanity would have to overcome to do so, like the prevalence of toxic chemical compounds in the planet's soil and high radiation levels on its surface. He tackles the question of whether humans can reproduce in space (the near weightlessness experienced there might prevent bones from fully forming, increasing infant mortality), explores the psychological effects that could result from leaving Earth (the harshness and isolation of being on Mars or the moon could lead to high stress levels), and outlines the evolutionary changes that could occur (living in lower gravity might reduce the need for arched feet, and living in climate-controlled habitats or space suits could lead to a reduction of sweat glands, lowering the intensity of body odor). "It is premature to push for space settlements because we are not yet ready," he concludes. While he discusses a range of noteworthy scientific topics, from spaceflight to CRISPR gene-editing technology, he offers little new information or insights. Space aficionados will be disappointed.
