In 1962, Rachel Carson published “Silent Spring,” her groundbreaking exposure of the environmental harms posed by the mosquito-killing pesticide DDT. Informed by her alarm over the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, Carson’s work challenged prevailing assumptions about chemical safety and helped birth the modern environmental movement. A new PBS documentary premiering on January 24 examines Carson’s writing, research and the challenges she faced as a woman taking on one of the country’s most powerful industries. We preview the film.
New PBS Documentary Explores the Private and Public Lives of Rachel Carson
51:37
Rachel Carson on her porch in Southport, Maine, 1955.
(Photo: Courtesy of Martha Freeman)
Guests:
William Souder, author, "On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson"
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