#356
Mentioned in 46 episodes

Silent Spring

Book • 1962
Published in 1962, 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson is a seminal work in environmental science.

The book documents the harmful effects of DDT and other pesticides on the environment, including their impact on bird populations, other wildlife, and human health.

Carson argued that these substances should be called 'biocides' due to their broad impact on ecosystems.

The book was serialized in 'The New Yorker' before its full publication and generated significant public and scientific debate.

It led to a reversal in U.S.

pesticide policy, the banning of DDT for agricultural use in 1972, and the establishment of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency in 1970.

Carson's work challenged the prevailing attitudes towards scientific progress and human control over nature, advocating for responsible and careful use of pesticides and highlighting the need for environmental stewardship.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 46 episodes

Mentioned by
undefined
Will Larson
when referencing systems thinking problems.
507 snips
The engineering mindset | Will Larson (Carta, Stripe, Uber, Calm, Digg)
Mentioned by
undefined
Ezra Klein
as being about how the government is mismanaging ecology.
403 snips
Build, Interrupted: A Conversation with Ezra Klein
Mentioned by
undefined
Nick Gillespie
as the author of "Silent Spring", a book that influenced the ban on DDT.
260 snips
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Mentioned by
undefined
Daniel Barcay
in the context of historical examples of societal responses to industrial harms.
196 snips
Weaponizing Uncertainty: How Tech is Recycling Big Tobacco’s Playbook
Mentioned by
undefined
Helena Norberg-Hodge
when discussing the wisdom of warning about the over-specialized, reductionist approach to science.
146 snips
Globalization End Game: How Localization Builds Resilient Communities & Economies with Helena Norberg-Hodge
Mentioned by
undefined
Michael Nielsen
as an example of a book that highlighted a large problem and led to improved governance mechanisms.
82 snips
Could Powerful AI Break Our Fragile World? (with Michael Nielsen)
Mentioned by
undefined
John Biewen
in the context of growing environmental awareness in the 1970s.
80 snips
S7 E9: At the Tipping Point
Mentioned by
undefined
Cameron Meyer Shorb
when discussing the consequences of DDT and biomagnification.
77 snips
#210 – Cameron Meyer Shorb on dismantling the myth that we can’t do anything to help wild animals
Mentioned by
undefined
Rick Rubin
in the context of the harmful effects of pesticides and the impact of Carson's book.
59 snips
Woody Harrelson
Mentioned by
undefined
Mark Hyman
as a book that impacted him and his understanding of environmental toxins.
58 snips
Environmental Toxins: The Health Crisis You Can't Ignore | Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
Erwähnt von
undefined
Thomas Kestler
im Zusammenhang mit DDT und den Gefahren dieses Pflanzenschutzmittels für die Vogelpopulation.
43 snips
Auf Kernkraft gegründet
Mentioned by
undefined
Elizabeth Cox
as a book that led to the founding of the EPA.
43 snips
#208 – Elizabeth Cox on the case that TV shows, movies, and novels can improve the world
Mentioned by
undefined
Nick Mott
while discussing the environmental awakening of the early 1970s.
38 snips
The Wide Open
Mentioned by
undefined
Nick Mott
when discussing the impact of DDT on bird populations and the awakening of public awareness to environmental issues.
23 snips
The Wide Open
Mentioned by Secretary Kennedy, as he read it and it influenced his views on the dangers of pesticides.
23 snips
Why Our Food Is Full of Pesticides—Is The GOP Betraying MAHA? | @glyphosategirl
Mentioned by
undefined
Spencer Greenberg
as a nonfiction book that raised awareness of the negative impacts of pesticides and semi-directly led to the founding of the EPA.
22 snips
A story can change the world (with Elizabeth Cox)
Mentioned by
undefined
Heather Cox Richardson
as the spark for the first Earth Day.
21 snips
April 22, 2025
Mentioned by
undefined
Henry Gee
when discussing environmental concerns and their impact on human survival.
20 snips
Humanity’s Past Suggests We Only Have 10,000 Years to Change or Go Extinct
Mentioned by
undefined
Lia Leendertz
when discussing the harmful effects of pesticides.
19 snips
May

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app