Final answer:
Rachel Carson's work on the pesticide DDT is primarily related to Biology as it pertains to the impact of chemicals on living organisms and ecosystems. Her research emphasized bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and persistent organic pollutants, leading to the ban of DDT and the recovery of affected wildlife.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scientist Rachel Carson connected the pesticide DDT to various environmental issues, which involves aspects of both life and earth science.
With the publication of her groundbreaking book Silent Spring in 1962, Carson highlighted the dangerous consequences of DDT usage, such as the thinning of bird eggshells and potential links to human health issues like cancer. This work catalyzed the environmental movement and led to a ban on DDT in U.S. agriculture in 1972.
Carson's findings on bioaccumulation and biomagnification exposed how chemicals could build up in the bodies of predators through the food chain, presenting irreversible damage to wildlife and potential risks to human health.
The study of environmental impacts of chemical substances like DDT pertains to life science due to its focus on living organisms, and to earth science through the study of chemical impacts on the ecosystem.
DDT caused problems such as reproductive difficulties in wildlife and is an example of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). After its ban, affected species, including the bald eagle, saw a recovery in populations. POPs persist in the environment and can be found far from their sources, including in remote areas like the Arctic and Antarctic.
Carson's efforts were formative in the rise of environmental ethics and the broader environmentalist movement. Despite opposition from chemical companies, her research had a profound influence on public awareness of environmental health, eventually contributing to regulatory changes and inspiring activists worldwide.