The Curious Science of Life in the Void. Space is devoid of the stuff humans need to live: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh veg, privacy, beer. What's it like being cooped up in a metal box with a few people for months at a time? As author Mary Roach discovers, it's possible to explore space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a 17,000 mile-per-hour crash test of NASA's space capsule (cadavar stepping in), she takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of living in space.