{"product_id":"becoming-martian-isbn-9780262051514","title":"Becoming Martian","description":"\u003cb\u003eHow living in space will affect future generations—and what the potential unintended consequences of space settlements are.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe 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 \u003ci\u003eBecoming Martian\u003c\/i\u003e, Scott Solomon explores the many ways in which humanity’s migration into space will change our bodies and our minds.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 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?Foreword\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e1 The Red Planet\u003cbr\u003e2 Into the New Frontier\u003cbr\u003e3 Space Medicine\u003cbr\u003e4 Space Babies\u003cbr\u003e5 Martian Minds\u003cbr\u003e6 Cosmic Islands\u003cbr\u003e7 Our Entourage\u003cbr\u003e8 The Next Humans\u003cbr\u003eEpilogue\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgments\u003cbr\u003eFigures\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003cb\u003eIncluded in \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e's Spring 2026 Fiction \u0026amp; Nonfiction Preview\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eREVIEWS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"A fascinating combination of space science, genetics, and evolutionary biology . . . deeply researched and engaging.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Educational and entertaining, imaginative and inspirational, Solomon’s treatise on traveling to Mars soars.”\u003cb\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Booklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Concise yet extraordinarily thorough . . . impeccably researched . . . \u003ci\u003e Becoming Martian\u003c\/i\u003e is one of the best popular-science books I have read within the field.”\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003cbr\u003e—Physics World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eENDORSEMENTS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We are living in a golden age of human space exploration, and Scott Solomon expertly reveals both the wonders and the challenges of life beyond Earth and the importance of emphasizing people at the center of scientific research in space.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Kellie Gerardi, research astronaut; author of the Luna Muna series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The colonization of other worlds will alter the very definition of what it means to be human. How might crossing oceans of space transform us? Will the risks be worth it? Scott Solomon’s \u003ci\u003eBecoming Martian\u003c\/i\u003e is a deft exploration of issues that will be of cosmic importance for the long-term survival of humanity.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Mark W. Moffett, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Human Swarm\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Solomon is an explorer, storyteller, and particularly gifted explainer of evolutionary biology. So, naturally, \u003ci\u003eBecoming Martian\u003c\/i\u003e is a fascinating and insightful look at our species’ past, present, and interplanetary future!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Kelly Weinersmith, Adjunct Faculty, Rice University; coauthor of \u003ci\u003eA City on Mars\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An engaging ride through the philosophy, technology, and grit needed to survive and then thrive on the red planet.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Christopher Mason, Professor, Cornell University; author of \u003ci\u003eThe Next 500 Years\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A clear-eyed, fast-paced, fascinating, and balanced vision of the biological realities of human settlements beyond Earth. A must-read for anyone interested in the human future.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Rob Dunn, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Call of the Honeyguide\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Scott Solomon has thought more than most about the topic of space exploration and human evolution. Everyone who is concerned about humanity’s future on Earth and beyond will benefit from reading this book.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Frank White, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Overview Effect\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eScott Solomon is Teaching Professor at Rice University in Houston. He is also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. He is the author of \u003ci\u003eFuture Humans\u003c\/i\u003e, named a 2017 Best Book by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is also the host of the podcast \u003ci\u003eWild World with Scott Solomon\u003c\/i\u003e and cowriter and coproducer of the series \u003ci\u003eBecoming Martian\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"The MIT Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48232969076965,"sku":"NP9780262051514","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780262051514.jpg?v=1767722344","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/becoming-martian-isbn-9780262051514","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}