Category Archives: environment

Bison forests of Białowieża give a glimpse into Europe’s lost past

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Thoughtscapism

Maybe they can also offer inspiration for its future? Last month I traveled to the border of Poland and Belarus to one of the last great untouched European forests, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a place of unique wild … Continue reading →

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Berlin Critical Climate Action: roller skating nuclear polar bears fight fossil dinosaurs and Prof Hansen speaks

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Thoughtscapism

Environmentalists and Mothers for Nuclear take a stand for the climate fight in Germany, where popular support for nuclear grows while politicians are on track to cause one billion tons of excess emissions due to a 2022 nuclear exit. Continue reading →

Posted in climate, energy, environment, nuclear, society | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The EU Poised to Allow Gene-editing to Improve Farming Methods and Nutrition

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Thoughtscapism

The current EU GMO-legislation, based on late 1990s understanding of biotechnology, would leave Europe without access to current and future gene-edited crops, including existing ones like fortified tomatoes, soybeans with healthier fatty acid profiles, and nitrogen-fixing bacteria for fertilising agricultural … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, environment, nutrition, organic, society | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Contaminated Concepts about Chernobyl

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Thoughtscapism

Visiting Chernobyl is an opportunity to reflect on a tragic piece of history, but also our own risk perceptions. It is not dangerous. It offers a great chance to observe thriving wildlife – no three headed fish or glow-in-the-dark rats among them. Continue reading →

Posted in energy, environment, nuclear, psychology, science communication, society | Tagged , | 6 Comments

The Animals of Chernobyl – Trip Report, Day Three

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Thoughtscapism

It was a great juxtaposition to see all this natural life so near the reactor sites. The wildlife doesn’t care about the thought of the radiation, since its presence at these levels has no practical effect on them. The animals aren’t afraid. Continue reading →

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The Town That Remained Despite the Chernobyl Accident

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Thoughtscapism

Officially the people of Narodychi were told to leave their homes three decades ago – but they never left. Their lives went on. Continue reading →

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Visiting Chernobyl, Day One, The Most Dangerous Part of the Trip: Kyiv

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Thoughtscapism

I finally found time to write about my visit to Chernobyl. I hope to do justice to the tremendous impression left by the people I got to meet, including locals living in the area, former clean-up workers, as well as … Continue reading →

Posted in energy, environment, nuclear | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

What Level of Risk Justifies Denying People Their Homes? A Look at Fukushima vs Pollution in Big Cities

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Thoughtscapism

I was very moved after hearing the heartfelt testimonies of teacher Yoshiko Aoki, high-school student Moe Harada, and a group of students dialling in from Fukushima to the OECD NEA risk communication workshop in Paris. I previously shared with you … Continue reading →

Posted in energy, environment, health, nuclear, psychology, society | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Chemical Exposures: The Good, the Bad, and the Tiny

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Thoughtscapism

I have often written about the lack of perspective on chemical scares, which is why I was happy to find out that Swedish Professor Emeritus in toxicology, Lennart Dencker, has written a book on this topic called “Not as dangerous … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, chemistry, environment, health, nutrition, science communication | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

World’s Worst Energy Accidents in Environmental Perspective

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Thoughtscapism

I began my three-part series on energy accidents to answer the question: “What about Chernobyl?” This type of concern invariably comes up whenever nuclear power is discussed, as fear of nuclear accidents is something that is cemented into our cultural … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, climate, energy, environment, history, nuclear, renewables, society | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments