Rachel carson why is she famous

Her first book, Under the Sea-Wind was a gripping account of the interactions of a sea bird, a fish and an eel -- who shared life in the open seas. A canny scholar working in government during World War II, Carson took advantage of the latest scientific material for her next book, The Sea Around Us which was nothing short of a biography of the sea.

It became an international best-seller, raised the consciousness of a generation, and made Rachel Carson the trusted public voice of science in America. All three books were physical explanations of life, all drenched with miracle of what happens to life in and near the sea.

In her books on the sea Carson wrote about geologic discoveries from submarine technology and underwater research -- of how islands were formed, how currents change and merge, how temperature affects sea life, and how erosion impacts not just shore lines but salinity, fish populations, and tiny micro-organisms. A marine biologist and nature writer, Rachel Carson catalyzed the global environmental movement with her book Silent Spring.

Outlining the dangers of chemical pesticides, the book led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides and sparked the movement that ultimately led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency EPA. She attended the Pennsylvania College for Women now Chatham University , graduating magna cum laude in Strained family finances forced her to forego pursuit of a doctorate and help support her mother and, later, two orphaned nieces.

After outscoring all other applicants on the civil service exam, in Carson became the second woman hired by the US Bureau of Fisheries. She remained there for 15 years, writing brochures and other materials for the public. The latter was serialized in the New Yorker and sold well worldwide. In , she published The Edge of the Sea , another popular seller. She also began a relationship with Dorothy Freeman, a married summer resident. After a niece died in early , Carson adopted her son and relocated to Silver Spring, Maryland, to care for her aging mother.

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.

She also accused the chemical industry of spreading misinformation and public officials of accepting industry claims uncritically. Chemical companies sought to discredit her as a Communist or hysterical woman. In , she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her homes are considered national historic landmarks, and various awards bear her name. Baum, Rudy M. Accessed February 3, Ingram, Janet.

William L. O'Neill and Kenneth T. Jackson, eds. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau at a professional level, according to the U. She worked there until Carson also helped the government during World War II by investigating undersea sounds to assist the Navy in developing submarine detection.

While working for the government, she penned many articles that were published by the Baltimore Sun. She also wrote her first book, "Under the Sea-Wind," published in It was a scientific book on marine life, but it was written so that the average person could understand. This book became an immediate best-seller and made her a wealthy woman. The book won a National Book Award, stayed on The New York Times' best-seller list for 81 weeks and ended up being translated into 32 languages.

In , Carson's third book, "Under the Sea," was published. Carson spent the s researching the effects of pesticides on the food chain across the United States and Europe with the help of Shirley Briggs, editor of an Audubon Naturalist Society magazine called Atlantic Naturalist, and Clarence Cottam, another former Fish and Wildlife Service employee. This work culminated in her book "Silent Spring," which The New Yorker was published as a serial in It took her four years to write, according to Natural Resources Defense Council.

In the book, she explained why the use of pesticides was detrimental, paying particular attention to the effects of DDT. Carson asked the important question: do humans have the right to control nature? She also introduced the concept that planet Earth can only sustain pollution levels for a certain amount of time. One of the most significant features of DDT and related chemicals is the way they are passed on from one organism to another through all the links of the food chains.