Beyond Words: Mary Roach

Mary Roach is the best-selling author of “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,” “Packing for Mars,” “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law” and other acclaimed books that delve into the curious and unexpected corners of science with wit and insight. Her writing brings complex topics to life in ways that are both engaging and unforgettable. Her new book, “Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy,” explores the science of rebuilding the human body, from 3D-printed organs to lab-grown tissues and beyond. Mary has written for National Geographic, Wired and The New York Times Magazine, among others, and her TED talk made the TED 20 Most Watched list.

The body is the most complex machine in the world, and the only one for which you cannot get a replacement part from the manufacturer. For centuries, medicine has reached for what’s available—sculpting noses from brass, borrowing skin from frogs and hearts from pigs, crafting eye parts from jet canopies and breasts from petroleum by-products. Today we’re attempting to grow body parts from scratch using stem cells and 3D printers. How are we doing? Are we there yet?

In “Replaceable You,” Mary Roach explores the remarkable advances and difficult questions prompted by the human body’s failings. When and how does a person decide they’d be better off with a prosthetic than their existing limb? Can a donated heart be made to beat forever? Can an intestine provide a workable substitute for a vagina?

Irrepressible and accessible, “Replaceable You” immerses readers in the wondrous, improbable and surreal quest to build a new you.