'Silent Spring' 60 years later: 4 essential reads on pesticides and the environment From the 10 insights on today's news that will make you smarter tomorrow series Jennifer Weeks, Senior Environment + Energy Editor, The Conversation Oct 15, 2022 Oct 15, 2022 Updated Mar 18, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Spraying from either a ground-based vehicle or an airplane is a common method for applying pesticides. Edwin Remsburg/VW Pics via Getty ImageskAmx? `hea 6?G:C@?>6?E2= D4:6?E:DE #2496= r2CD@? AF3=:D965 “k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]C2496=42CD@?]@C8^$:=6?E$AC:?8]2DAIQm$:=6?E $AC:?8k^2m[” 2 36DED6==:?8 3@@< E92E 2DD6CE65 E92E @G6CFD6 @7 A6DE:4:56D H2D 92C>:?8 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E 2?5 E9C62E6?:?8 9F>2? 962=E9] r2CD@? 5:5 ?@E 42== 7@C 32??:?8 ss%[ E96 >@DE H:56=J FD65 A6DE:4:56 2E E92E E:>6[ 3FE D96 2C8F65 7@C FD:?8 :E 2?5 D:>:=2C AC@5F4ED >F49 >@C6 D6=64E:G6=J 2?5 A2J:?8 2EE6?E:@? E@ E96:C 67764ED @? ?@?E2C86E65 DA64:6D]k^Am People are also reading… Warren Buffett stops Gates Foundation donations following Epstein revelations Caitlin Clark’s flopping isn’t just annoying – it’s becoming dangerous | Opinion Matt Campbell "stunned" ISU didn't hire OC Taylor Mouser as head coach How former Iowa State players did in NBA Summer League TJ Otzelberger explains Iowa State's nonconference schedule Lost 1952 Pan Am plane found off Puerto Rico coast Clinton commission delays vote on data center ordinance, takes public suggestions ‘Raising Kanan’ promises plenty for its fifth and final season Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard expects to retire before basketball season How Xiao "Smyle" Zhang became Iowa State's first Chinese player DOJ files denaturalization cases, including one in Iowa Iowa chiropractor accused of leaving a patient paralyzed surrenders his license Caitlin Clark's scoreboard taunt draws seventh technical, puts her on verge of suspension Haul Out Hunger donates 1,152 pounds of ground pork in Crawford County Predicting 4 NFL teams that could emerge as dark horse contenders in 2026 kAm“$:=6?E $AC:?8” :D H:56=J G:6H65 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?JE:>6D]4@>^a_`a^_h^ab^>282K:?6^9@H\D:=6?E\DAC:?8\:8?:E65\E96\6?G:C@?>6?E2=\>@G6>6?E]9E>=Qm2? :?DA:C2E:@? 7@C E96 >@56C? 6?G:C@?>6?E2= >@G6>6?Ek^2m] %96D6 2CE:4=6D 7C@> %96 r@?G6CD2E:@?’D 2C49:G6 DA@E=:89E @?8@:?8 BF6DE:@?D 23@FE A6DE:4:56D 2?5 E96:C 67764ED]k^Amk9am`] p82:?DE 23D@=FE6Dk^9amkAmp=E9@F89 E96 496>:42= :?5FDECJ 2EE24<65 “$:=6?E $AC:?8” 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6?8F:?C2?5@>9@FD6]4@>^3@@<D^`f_ccg^@?\2\72CE96C\D9@C6\3J\H:==:2>\D@F56C^Qm2?E:\D4:6?46 2?5 2?E:\AC@8C6DDk^2m[ r2CD@? 36=:6G65 E92E 496>:42=D 925 E96:C A=246 :? 28C:4F=EFC6] $96 “72G@C65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^H@F=5\C2496=\42CD@?\62E\@C82?:4\hchefQm2 C6DEC2:?65 FD6 @7 A6DE:4:56D[ 3FE ?@E 2 4@>A=6E6 6=:>:?2E:@?k^2m[ 2?5 5:5 ?@E @AA@D6 ;F5:4:@FD FD6 @7 >2?F724EFC65 76CE:=:K6CD[” HC:E6D w2CG2C5 &?:G6CD:EJ DFDE2:?23:=:EJ D49@=2C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^H47:2]92CG2C5]65F^A6@A=6^C@36CE\=\A22C=36C8Qm#@36CE !22C=36C8k^2m]k^Am kAm%9:D 2AAC@249 AFE r2CD@? 2E @55D H:E9 E96 7=658=:?8 @C82?:4 >@G6>6?E[ H9:49 E@E2==J C6;64E65 DJ?E96E:4 A6DE:4:56D 2?5 76CE:=:K6CD] t2C=J @C82?:4 25G@42E6D 4=2:>65 r2CD@? 2D 2 DFAA@CE6C ?@?6E96=6DD[ 3FE r2CD@? <6AE E96> 2E 2C>’D =6?8E9] “%96 @C82?:4 72C>:?8 >@G6>6?E H2D DFDA64E :? r2CD@?’D 6J6D 3642FD6 >@DE @7 :ED 62C=J =6256CD H6C6 ?@E D4:6?E:DED[” !22C=36C8 @3D6CG6D]k^AmkAm%9:D 5:G6C86?46 92D 649@6D E@52J :? 5632E6D 23@FE H96E96C @C82?:4 AC@5F4E:@? @C DE625J :>AC@G6>6?ED :? 4@?G6?E:@?2= 72C>:?8 92G6 >@C6 A@E6?E:2= E@ 7665 2 8C@H:?8 H@C=5 A@AF=2E:@?]k^Am k9C ^m kAmk6>mkDEC@?8m#625 >@C6i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^H@F=5\C2496=\42CD@?\62E\@C82?:4\hchefQm(@F=5 #2496= r2CD@? 62E @C82?:4nk^2mk^DEC@?8mk^6>mk^Amk9C ^mk9ama] r@?46C?65 4C@A5FDE6CDk^9amkAm(6== 367@C6 “$:=6?E $AC:?8” H2D AF3=:D965[ 2 4C@A\5FDE:?8 :?5FDECJ 56G6=@A65 @? 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Reach out – your friend will likely appreciate it more than you think Updated Mar 18, 2026 More young voters could come out to vote in November, sparked by abortion and other hot political issues Updated Mar 18, 2026 US abortion restrictions are unlikely to influence international trends, which are largely becoming more liberal 177 updates Previous Next 0 Comments Locations Waterloo Related to this story Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Trump and Xi set for high-stakes AI showdown this September DR Congo's Ebola outbreak becomes fastest ever recorded DR Congo's Ebola outbreak becomes fastest ever recorded Chickenpox outbreak spreads across Gaza’s overcrowded tent camps Chickenpox outbreak spreads across Gaza’s overcrowded tent camps GDP Rises Above Expectations Despite Recession Fears GDP Rises Above Expectations Despite Recession Fears