Quote 19
At first, I figured it was my duty [...] But then it started to get fun. Now, as I drive, I look forward to that simple act of bagging rocks. (10.8)
You know you're a science nerd when you can have fun picking up rocks. After having more brushes with death than he can count, Mark takes comfort in something as simple and as logical as geology. It must be a relief to simply be a scientist again.
Quote 20
Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped. (17.50)
Jeez, Mark should just get a sponsorship deal already. We can already see the pitch: If duct tape is good enough for Mark Watney, then you can be darn tootin' it's good enough for you! Jokes aside, this passage shows that the most useful technology isn't always the flashiest.
Quote 21
I tested the brackets by hitting them with rocks. This kind of sophistication is what we interplanetary scientist are known for. (18.107)
Once again, we watch Mark achieve some high-minded scientific goals though some very primitive techniques. If we get nothing else from The Martian, it's that science isn't about laboratories or equations—it's about getting your hands dirty and making things work.