Rachel Carson published Silent Spring.in 1962, describing the dangers of pesticides and sparking an emerging environmental movement with her evocative images about the control of nature. Time magazine would celebrate her achievements as one of their 100 "Persons of the Century." However, their assessment in 1962 was much different, reflecting an avalanche of criticism led by the chemical industry. This historical case situates students in 1963, to assess the status of the public media information about her book, based on a variety of book reviews. It helps illustrate the roles of conflict of interest and fearmongering in disinformation.

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Instructor's Narrative:

Allchin, D. (f2025). The noisy response to Silent Spring, 1962. The Science Teacher (Mar.). [pre-publication copy]

Background Reading

Allchin, D. (1996), Rachel Carson & Silent Spring. In J. Hagen, D. Allchin & F. Singer (Eds.), Doing Biology, Glenview, IL: Harper Collins. https://shipseducation.net/db/carson.htm

Further Background

Allchin, D. (2012). Debating Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. http://pesticides1963.net.

includes original book reviews and other historical documents.