Beyond Silent Spring: An Alternate History of DDT

As historian Elena Conis pursued a clearer understanding of one of the world’s most infamous chemicals, she discovered why our histories often conflict with the facts. At the tail end of World War II, Irma Materi left Seattle for Korea to join her husband, Joe, an army colonel. The couple and their new baby moved into a white stucco house with a red tile roof—and scores of nooks and crannies for insects to hide in. Fortunately, Materi had packed just the thing to address the problem: a grenade-shaped canister containing the new insecticide DDT, which she sprayed on high shelves, in dark corners, and under furniture and cabinets… read more >