EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Rachel Carson was an American biologist well known for her writings on environmental pollution and the natural history of the sea. Her book, Silent Spring (1962), became one of the most influential books in the modern environmental movement and provided the impetus for tighter control of pesticides, including DDT.

Detailed explanation-2: -A letter from a friend in Duxbury, Massachusetts about the loss of bird life after pesticide spraying inspired Carson to write Silent Spring. The book primarily focuses on pesticides’ effects on ecosystems, but four chapters detail their impact on humans, including cancer.

Detailed explanation-3: -Silent Spring was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, but it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy, led to a nationwide ban on DDT for agricultural uses, and inspired an environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Detailed explanation-4: -On June 4, 1963, less than a year after the controversial environmental classic “Silent Spring” was published, its author, Rachel Carson, testified before a Senate subcommittee on pesticides.

Detailed explanation-5: -In 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a “landmark literary piece of the 20th century” that focused on the environmental impact of the use of pesticides, such as DDT. Unfortunately, Carson and her work were met with bitterness and discrimination.