Mary Roach grew up in a small house in Etna, New Hampshire. She graduated from Wesleyan in 1981 and moved to San Francisco, where she spent a few years working as a freelance copy editor before landing a half-time PR job at the San Francisco Zoo. Roach's office was in a trailer next to Gorilla World. On the days when she wasn't taking calls about elephant wart removal surgery or denying rumors that the cheetahs had been sucked dry by fleas, she wrote freelance articles for the local newspaper's Sunday magazine. Eventually, her editors there moved on to bigger things and took Roach along with them.

Roach has written several books that have cemented her reputation as a prominent science writer. She is a seven-time New York Times bestselling author with titles such as "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers," "Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife," "Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex," "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal," "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War,” and "Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void." Her books have been translated into 21 languages, highlighting her international appeal. Besides her books, Roach contributes to various prestigious publications, including National Geographic, Wired, and The New York Times Magazine. She continues to be involved in magazine writing, with her works appearing in multiple notable outlets.

Roach has also gained a substantial following as a speaker. Her TED Talk, "10 Things You Didn't Know About Orgasm," is one of TED's 10 most-watched talks with over 30 million views. Her engaging style and thorough research have earned her the American Engineering Societies’ journalism award and made her a finalist for the Royal Society’s Winton Prize. Additionally, she continues to influence the science community through her roles as a guest editor for the Best American Science and Nature Writing and as an advisor for publications like Orion and Undark magazines. Roach’s ability to intersect science with popular culture ensures her continued relevance and influence in both literary and scientific communities.

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