I think the soil toxicity was discovered just after the book was released, so when it was written, it wasn’t an error. It was known when they made the movie though.
I don't remember the book avoiding it (but it's been many years), since he grows crops from the (again, too deadly from perchlorates to even grow a crop in without industrial-grade decontamination) soil. I remember diet issues, but I pegged those to nutrition.
Also Martian dust is deadly as fuck, May as well just snort asbestos if you're tracking it into your hab. Also, he never needed to worry about water since Martian soil has fucktons, and the duststorm would have not had any effect on the lander save visibility.
the book avoids this and they caused a problem in the adaptation, or am I misunderstanding?
I think the soil toxicity was discovered just after the book was released, so when it was written, it wasn’t an error. It was known when they made the movie though.
Not sure, but I think the original Mars Space Cadet Zubrin talked about heavy metal contamination in the 90s, though we weren't certain.
I don't remember the book avoiding it (but it's been many years), since he grows crops from the (again, too deadly from perchlorates to even grow a crop in without industrial-grade decontamination) soil. I remember diet issues, but I pegged those to nutrition.
Also Martian dust is deadly as fuck, May as well just snort asbestos if you're tracking it into your hab. Also, he never needed to worry about water since Martian soil has fucktons, and the duststorm would have not had any effect on the lander save visibility.