Facts about The Martian

1. 05

   Botanist and mechanical engineer Mark Watney grows potatoes in Martian soil fertilized with human waste, a survival strategy central to the novel's plot.

   The MartianMay 17sharefictionsurvivalagriculture
2. 04

   Andy Weir originally self-published The Martian as a free serialized story on his personal website before it was picked up by a traditional publisher.

   The MartianMay 17sharepublishingfictionscifi
3. 03

   NASA's Curiosity rover inspired much of the technological detail in Andy Weir's novel, particularly the solar panel systems and communication delays between Mars and Earth.

   The MartianMay 14sharetechnologyspacemars
4. 02

   Ridley Scott directed the 2015 film adaptation of The Martian, which earned over 630 million dollars worldwide at the box office.

   The MartianMay 14sharefilmcommercedirector
5. 01

   Matt Damon's character Mark Watney survives 687 Martian sols on the red planet in Andy Weir's 2011 science fiction novel.

   The MartianMay 14shareliteraturespacemeasurement