Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, 1962

Object Details

Description: The book Silent Spring by biologist and nature writer Rachel Carson was published in 1962. Carson's research on the effect of insecticides (specifically DDT) on bird populations coupled with her moving prose made Silent Spring a best-seller, though chemical companies attacked it as unscientific. While noting the benefits of pesticides in fighting insect-borne disease and boosting crop yields, Carson warned about the invisible dangers of indiscriminate insecticide use and its unintended effect on nature. The publication of Silent Spring led to an increased public awareness of humanity’s impact on nature and is credited as the beginning of the modern environmental movement, leading to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 and the banning of DDT in 1972.
Location: Currently not on view

Physical Description: paper (overall material); cloth (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 22 cm x 15.8 cm x 4 cm; 8 21/32 in x 6 7/32 in x 1 9/16 in

See more items in: Medicine and Science: Biological Sciences; Science & Mathematics

National Museum of American History

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-ed97-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa