A City on Mars- Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? by Kelly Weinersmith

5 (3)
$32.00

Product Details

Web ID: 17302277

Helpfully pulls back the curtain on some of the lesser-discussed challenges to humanity's off-Earth pursuits . . . Any reader enthusiastic about space settlement will find much to appreciate in this book . . . The Weinersmiths write with a confident belief that humanity will one day travel off-planet. Science From the bestselling authors of Soonish, a brilliant and hilarious off-world investigation into space settlement Earth is not well. The promise of starting life anew somewhere far, far away no climate change, no war, no Twitterbeckons, and settling the stars finally seems within our grasp. Or is it? Critically acclaimed, bestselling authors Kelly and Zach Weinersmith set out to write the essential guide to a glorious future of space settlements, but after years of research, they aren't so sure it's a good idea. Space technologies and space business are progressing fast, but we lack the knowledge needed to have space kids, build space farms, and create space nations in a way that doesn't spark conflict back home. In a world hurtling toward human expansion into space, A City on Mars investigates whether the dream of new worlds won't create nightmares, both for settlers and the people they leave behind.

  • Product Features

    • Suggested age range- Adult
    • Hardcover
    • Dimensions- 3.5" W x 9.1" H x 0.8" D
    • Genre- Science
    • Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
    • Page Count: 448
    • ISBN- 9781984881724
    • Kelly Weinersmith (Author)
    • Publication Date: 11-07-2023

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Ratings & Reviews

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1 year ago
from Los Angeles

Accessible, funny, and intricately researched

There are plenty of established tropes in science-fiction and among serious space enthusiasts, but a lot of them have major gaps in them when you start pressing for details. What happens to a fetus in microgravity? Can you scrape together enough soil nutrients to supply agriculture for a whole Mars city, or do you need to constantly import fertilizer from Earth? How do you make sure you have enough medical supplies on-hand? The authors wanted to write about what we know about space settlement. But it turns out it's a really good primer for what we *don't* know and need to research before we can get serious. It's also an interesting companion to Phil Plait's "Under Alien Skies," which takes the approach of "assuming we're able to work out the details, this is what it would be like there." And, well, we have a lot more details to work out.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

1 year ago
from Santa Rosa CA

Fun review of challenges of space exploration

The authors combine scientific analysis and humor to provide an engaging look at the challenges of space travel and space exploration. They cover a wide range of issues from orbital mechanics to human physiology and psychology to regulatory and legal constraints. They may a good case for curbing our collective enthusiasm about creating settlements on the Moon or on Mars in the near term and argue for smart and relevant research to ensure success in the longer term with a "go big" approach. Most important takeaway for me (spoiler alert?) is that planet Earth is pretty darn special and custom made for human health and happiness. Outer space kind of sucks (their words!)

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from Philadelphia, PA

Informative, Funny, and a Delight to Read!

A brilliant and riotous book on the details of what we'd need to not just get to Mars, but establish a presence there. The book is both a thoughtful read and a delightful one, with facts and evidence laid out playfully and clearly for all the things humans need to (and should!) be working on if we truly want to be multiplanitary. This is not a book for naysayers, but a blueprint for the work humans have ahead of them! The Weinersmiths have done a REMARKABLE amount of painstaking research, evidenced by the extensive bibliography, diving into space science, international law, biology, memoirs of basically every astronaut, coming up with pearls of wisdom and fascinating anecdotes, often dispelling common misconceptions around historical space happenings. This book is a must for any science nerd, but is accessible for the layperson too.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com