Grappling with Gravity: How Will Life Adapt to Living in Space? 2012th Edition

From the reviews:

“In Robert W. Phillips’ book, Grappling with Gravity, one can read mostly about some of the biggest problems that astronauts face in micro-gravity … . an ideal book for those interested in the changes that the human body will experience away from the familiar Earth’s environment. … it is written in a simple way, so it might even be suitable for younger readers who have a little bit of knowledge about how the human body works.” (Kadri Tinn, AstroMadness.com, May, 2014)

“Written for the layman … this is an informative survey of the problems and the effects associated with microgravity space flight. … The book is an excellent guide to the general conditions experienced in microgravity and provides a potted history of flight through the atmosphere and early missions into space from the physiological perspective. … With 271 pages and 113 illustrations, this is a worthy little book and one that is an easy and satisfying read … .” (Spaceflight, Vol. 54 (7), July, 2012)

Grappling with Gravity explores the physiological changes that will occur in humans and the plants and animals that accompany humans as we move to new worlds, whether it be to a colony in the emptiness of space or settlements on the moon, Mars, or other moons or planets.

This book focuses on the biomedical aspects, while not ignoring other life-changing influences of space living. For example, what happens to people physiologically in the microgravity of space, where weight and the direction “up” are meaningless?

Adapting to microgravity represents the greatest physical challenge that human life will have encountered since our ancestors moved from the seas to solid Earth. It will be the next great adventure!