The Science Museum of the University of Navarra joins the worldwide strike for Climate Change, called for this Friday, September 27th, with the broadcasting of a video about the environmental biologist Rachel Carson.

This video is the third in the collection "Women in Science", an animated series that narrates in an informative tone, the biography of relevant scientists in their field but who are unknown to the general public. This time, it is the figure of R. Carson, one of the scientists who contributed with her work and publications to lay the foundations of modern environmentalism.

"Silent Spring" (1962) is his best known work and has become one of the most influential popular science books in U.S. culture, society and politics, laying the foundations for modern environmental awareness. In this publication, R. Carson warns of the harmful effects caused by pesticides in the natural environment, thus recognizing the environmental impact of certain human activities.

In addition, the Science Museum has planned - within the cycle of conferences "The Science Museum explains" - a session on "The science of climate change" to be given by Prof. Arturo Ariño, director of the Department of Environmental Biology of the University of Navarra, next Wednesday, October 16 at 19:00 hours in the Science Building of this university.

This global strike, driven by the youth movement Fridays for Future Fridays for Future and encouraged by the young activist Greta Thunberg, will unite different groups and institutions from more than 180 countries to demand the necessary reforms to urgently curb the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

This climate event will be the prelude to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25), which this year will be held in Santiago de Chile from December 2 to 13. On this date, countries will meet to adopt measures and provide an international response to the problem of climate change.

Rachel L. Carson (1907-1964)

Rachel L. Carson was born in Pennsylvania (USA) in 1907 into a humble family and studied biology at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore). Her career as an educator began when she obtained a position in the government's Fish and Wildlife Service, where she produced informative material for the general public.

Author of several articles in the press and publications, including "Silent Spring" and "The Sense of Amazement". With her work, R. Carson contributed to promote policies and behaviors to preserve the environment. She inspired the philosophical and political movement that today we call environmentalism, got the U.S. Department of Agriculture to review its policy on pesticides, and laid the groundwork for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in that country.

Rachel Carson died in Maryland (USA) in 1964 and will be remembered as one of the scientists who awakened the collective conscience for the protection of the environment. Time magazine ranked her among the 100 most influential personalities of the last century.