What you learned in school
Science classes taught that DDT was a miracle pesticide that was completely safe for humans and highly beneficial for agriculture and public health. Students learned about DDT's role in controlling malaria-carrying mosquitoes and increasing crop yields without any mention of environmental concerns. Textbooks presented DDT as a triumph of modern chemistry that would help eliminate insect-borne diseases and feed the world. The focus was entirely on its benefits with no discussion of potential negative effects on wildlife or human health.
What we know now
Science classes taught that DDT was a miracle pesticide that was completely safe for humans and beneficial for agriculture. Students learned about DDT's role in controlling malaria and increasing crop yields without mentioning environmental concerns. DDT was found to cause cancer in humans, disrupt hormonal systems, and devastate bird populations by thinning their eggshells. Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" documented these environmental effects. DDT accumulates in the food chain and persists in the environment for decades. It was banned in many countries for agricultural use, though it's still used for malaria control in some regions under strict guidelines.