Mary Roach is an American author specializing in popular science and humor. She has published seven New York Times bestsellers, including Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (2003), Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife (2005), Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex (2008), Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (2010), Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal (2013), Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War (2016), and Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law (2021). Roach's writing delves into the bizarre and offbeat aspects of science, covering everything from the history of human cadavers to the intricacies of human anatomy during warfare.

She has contributed to a variety of publications, including National Geographic, Wired, Discover, New Scientist, the Journal of Clinical Anatomy, and Outside. Additionally, Roach serves on the Mars Institute's Advisory Board and the Usage Panel of the American Heritage Dictionary.