’Rapture and beauty’: a writer's portrait of the International Space Station

Nature Podcast

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Science, News, Technology

4.4 • 859 Ratings

🗓️ 8 November 2024

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Samantha Harvey's Booker Prize shortlisted novel Orbital is set inside an International Space Station-like vessel circling 250 miles above Earth. It looks at a day-in-the-life of the crew, investigating the contrasts they experience during the 16 orbits they make around the planet, crossing continents, oceans and the line separating night and day.

On the latest episode of Nature hits the books, Samantha joins us to discuss why the ISS is a rich setting for fiction, the challenges of putting yourself in the shoes of an astronaut, and how distance can give new perspectives on global issues like climate change.

Orbital Samantha Harvey Vintage (2024)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Deep dive into the world of science with Nature Plus.
0:04.1	From the vastness of the distant star systems to the intricacies of infectious diseases due to climate change, we've got you covered.
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0:22.4	simplifies complex studies. Plus, it's all available right at your fingertips on Nature.com.
0:29.4	Nature Plus, the key to unlocking the world's most significant scientific advances.
0:34.3	Subscribe today at go.n. Nature.com slash plus. Hello, it's Renee. And Courtney here. And our podcast is
0:41.3	currently sponsored by NHS blood and transplant. There is currently a real need in the UK for people of
0:46.9	Black Heritage to give blood regularly to help treat Black patients with sickle cell.
0:52.2	Sickle cell can affect anyone, but is more common in people of black heritage and is the
0:56.3	fastest growing inherited blood disorder in the UK.
0:59.5	The NHS needs 250 blood donations a day to help people affected with sickle cell.
1:05.3	The good news is that giving blood is quick and easy.
1:08.9	It just takes one hour to save up to three lives.
1:12.7	It's in our blood to help fight sickle cell.
1:15.6	Book now at blood.com.uk.
1:32.3	Hi, Benjamin here. Welcome to episode 9 of Nature Hits the Books. Something a bit different for this episode of the show. We're stepping into the world of fiction.
1:38.3	And joining me this time is Samantha Harvey, whose book, Orbital, takes a look at a day in the life of a very familiar
1:46.1	space station. Orbital is Samantha's fifth novel and has been shortlisted for the
1:52.3	2024 Booker Prize. It examines the contrasts that the crew experience over 24 hours as they
2:00.4	balance the majesty and mundanity of life on the station.
2:05.1	On the podcast, we discuss the challenges of putting yourself in the shoes of an astronaut
	...

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