MAY 27

Rachel Carson earned an undergraduate degree in biology from Chatham University in 1929, and a Master's degree in zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932. She worked for US Bureau of Fisheries translating data about fish populations into pamphlets and articles for the public to read and understand.  

It turned out that Carson had a particular talent for describing scientific research.  She published essays in newspapers, magazines, and in 1941, published her first book, Under the Sea Wind.  She would publish three more books in her lifetime, including Silent Spring (1962) and The Sea Around Us (1951) which won the National Book Award for nonfiction.

You can learn more about Rachel Carson by watching the BrainPop about her, and by reading the Who Was Rachel Carson? book.  

Newton is home to the Silent Spring Institute, which researches the effects chemicals and pesticides have on our bodies.  It was named in honor of Rachel Carson, and is  located on Nevada Street.

Dot image citation