Space on Earth by Dr Sheila Kanani

Alma Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781846884559. 1287pp., pbk.
The 50th anniversary of man stepping on the moon and the declaration by President Trump that they will be back there by 2024 with NASA's Project Artemis has again ignited the debate about the cost of space exploration and whether the money could be better spent back here on this planet.
So the publication of this new book from Dr Sheila Kanani, a British astronomer with a particular interest in Saturn, is very timely because it examines how the discoveries in space have been translated back into everyday objects on Earth. It is full of amazing facts about everyday innovations, from drills and dustbusters to bike helmets, that have been inspired by space travel and includes sections on the people who brought them to us,
Divided into three sections - technology, health and fashion - it examines objects as diverse as baby blankets, artificial limbs and skiwear, examining how their development is related to space exploration as well as a short piece about the scientist who imagineered the development.
Intriguing and offering much food for thought that could spark further investigations.
Barbara Braxton