News

Relax. Solar panels won’t give you cancer

Eagle-Tribune · last updated

We live in an age of both scientific miracles and superstition about science, increasing more or less in tandem. One year we’re creating novel vaccines that arrest a global pandemic, and four years later we’ve got measles outbreaks because people believe nonsense about vaccines, disseminated by the nation’s chief health official.

Solar power is another example. Here is a technology that, rather than digging up fossils and burning them to unleash solar energy collected millions of years ago, miraculously sucks that energy directly out of the sky. Unlike those fossil fuels, it’s harmless, limitless and on balance doesn’t generate greenhouse gases that heat up the planet.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAm$@=2C :D 2=D@ 4962A6C E92? 7@DD:= 7F6=D[ H9:49 96=AD 6IA=2:? :ED 6IA@?6?E:2= 8C@HE9] v=@32= D@=2C A@H6C 86?6C2E:@? 8C6H 3J ebe E6C2H2EE\9@FCD :? a_ad[ 2 b_T :?4C62D6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 C6D62C49 7:C> t>36C] %92E H2D E96 72DE6DE 8C@HE9 :? 2 J62C 7@C 2?J 6?6C8J D@FC46 @? C64@C5[ 2D:56 7C@> 2 E6>A@C2CJ C63@F?5 :? 4@2= FD6 27E6C =@4<5@H?D 5FC:?8 E96 r~’xs`h A2?56>:4] }6H D@=2C 2=@?6 >6E E9C66\BF2CE6CD @7 E96 H@C=5’D ?6H 6?6C8J 56>2?5 =2DE J62C] ~G6C E96 A2DE 564256[ D@=2C A@H6C 92D :?4C62D65 `_\7@=5[ C:D:?8 afT 2 J62C[ @? 2G6C286]k^Am

kAm$E:==[ ?@E 6G6CJ3@5J =@G6D D@=2C] x? E96 &]$][ :?DE2==2E:@?D 24EF2==J 76== `cT :? a_ad 7C@> 2 J62C 62C=:6C[ 3F4<:?8 E96 8=@32= EC6?5[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 $@=2C t?6C8J x?5FDEC:6D pDD@4:2E:@? 2?5 E96 4@?DF=E:?8 7:C> (@@5 |24<6?K:6]k^Am

kAm$@=2C H2D DE:== E96 3:886DE D@FC46 @7 ?6H 6?6C8J :? E96 &]$] =2DE J62C[ >2<:?8 FA dcT @7 2== 255:E:@?D[ 4@>A2C65 H:E9 ;FDE gT 7@C ?2EFC2= 82D] $@=2C 2?5 32EE6CJ DE@C286 4@>3:?65 >256 FA fhT @7 ?6H &]$] 6?6C8J D@FC46D :? a_ad] qFE :ED 8C@HE9 92D 5646=6C2E65[ >@DE=J 3642FD6 @7 !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’D H9@=6\@7\8@G6C?>6?E 2DD2F=E @? 4=62? 6?6C8J]k^Am

kAmqFE 2?@E96C 724E@C 9FCE:?8 D@=2C :? E96 &]$] :D 8C@H:?8 =@42= @AA@D:E:@? 32D65 @? 762CD 23@FE E96 :>A24ED @7 D@=2C 72C>D @? 9F>2? 962=E9[ !C@!F3=:42 C6A@CE65 C646?E=J] xE 4:E65 E96 4@F?EJ @7 $E] r=2:C[ |:49:82?[ H9:49 =2DE J62C >256 :E 92C56C E@ 3F:=5 ?6H D@=2C :?DE2==2E:@?D @? CFC2= =2?5[ 4:E:?8 H@CC:6D 23@FE ?@:D6 A@==FE:@?[ “G:DF2= A@==FE:@?” 2?5 E96 C:D< @7 E@I:4 H2DE6] %9:D 564:D:@? H2D 32D65 @? >6>@D 7C@> E96 4@F?EJ 962=E9 49:67 DF886DE:?8 E96D6 :DDF6D A@D65 “2? F?C62D@?23=6 E9C62E E@ AF3=:4 962=E9]”k^Am

kAm}@:D6[ F8=:?6DD 2?5 E@I:4 H2DE6 2C6 ;FDE 2 76H @7 E96 962=E9\C6=2E65 H@CC:6D 4:E65 :? C646?E J62CD :? |:49:82?[ ~9:@ 2?5 @E96C A=246D E@ 3=@4< @C D=@H 5@H? D@=2C 56G6=@A>6?E] (92E 7@==@HD :D 2 D@>6H92E =@?86C[ :7 DE:== @?=J A2CE:2=[ =:DE] |2?J @7 E96D6 H@CC:6D 2C6 F?56CDE2?523=6] p== @7 E96> 2C6 62D:=J C67FE65]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|JE9i $@=2C 72C>D 2C6 E@@ ?@:DJ]k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#62=:EJi $@=2C 72C>D 5@ >2<6 ?@:D6[ 3FE ?@E ?62C=J 6?@F89 E@ 9FCE A6@A=6 A9JD:42==J @C >6?E2==J] x?G6CE6CD E92E 492?86 6=64EC:4:EJ 7C@> 5:C64E 4FCC6?E E@ 2=E6C?2E:?8 4FCC6?E 7@C E96 8C:5 86?6C2E6 FA E@ f_ 564:36=D W25;FDE65 7@C 9F>2? 962C:?8 D6?D:E:G:EJ[ @C 5qpX[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 r@=@C25@ 4@>>F?:EJ D@=2C 4@>A2?J !FC6$<J t?6C8J] %92E’D 23@FE 2D >F49 ?@:D6 2D 2 H:?5@H 2:C\4@?5:E:@?:?8 F?:E] q2EE6CJ DE@C286 DJDE6>D 2?5 EC2?D7@C>6CD AC@5F46 D:>:=2C D@F?5 =6G6=D] qFE @?46 J@F’C6 23@FE `__ 766E 2H2J 7C@> E9:D 6BF:A>6?E[ E96:C D@F?5D 5:D2AA62C :?E@ E96 324<8C@F?5] p CFC2= D@=2C 72C> >:89E 86?6C2E6 b_ 5qp[ 244@C5:?8 E@ ?@:D6 4@?EC@= 6?8:?66C |:4926= q29E:2C:2? @7 E96 4@?DF=E:?8 7:C> p46?E649] %92E’D 23@FE 2D =@F5 2D 2 H9:DA6C] p EC24E@C[ >62?H9:=6[ 42? 86E FA E@ `__ 5qp @C >@C6]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|JE9i $@=2C 72C>D 2C6 E@@ F8=J]k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#62=:EJi &8=:?6DD :D DF3;64E:G6[ 3FE DFC6] %96J’C6 ?@E 362FE:7F=] %96J >2J 6G6? 36 F8=J 6?@F89 E@ 92C> A6@A=6’D >6?E2= 962=E9] %9:D :D 62D:=J C6>65:65 3J =@42E:?8 E96> C6>@E6=J 2?5 DFCC@F?5:?8 E96> H:E9 =2?5D42A:?8[ H9:49 42? 2=D@ 96=A H:E9 2?J =:?86C:?8 H@CC:6D 23@FE ?@:D6] !C@A6C A@D:E:@?:?8 2?5 =2?5D42A:?8 42? 2=D@ 6=:>:?2E6 2?J 8=2C6 7C@> E96 A2?6=D E92E >:89E 27764E =@42= A:=@ED]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|JE9i $@=2C A2?6=D C6=62D6 E@I:4 >2E6C:2=D]k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#62=:EJi %96 2>@F?ED @7 52?86C@FD 6=6>6?ED DF49 2D =625 2?5 425>:F> :? D@=2C A2?6=D 2C6 E:?J[ 2?5 E96J’C6 6?42D65 :? E6>A6C65 8=2DD :? E96 A2?6=D] r25>:F> :? A2?6=D :D EJA:42==J 2 G2C:6EJ E92E :D `^`__E9 2D E@I:4 2D C68F=2C 425>:F>[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 r@=F>3:2 {2H $49@@= DEF5J 7C@> a_ac] !2?6=D 2C6 3F:=E E@ H:E9DE2?5 DF?[ D?@H[ C2:?[ 92:= 2?5 @E96C ?2EFC2= 2DD2F=ED[ >62?:?8 E96J H@?’E 4CF>3=6 E@ 3:ED] %96J 2=D@ 5@?’E 3FC? 62D:=J[ 2?5 :7 E96J 5@ 3FC? E96:C 6=6>6?ED 2C6 EC2AA65 :? E96 7FD65 8=2DD]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|JE9i $@=2C 72C>D’ 6=64EC@>28?6E:4 7:6=5D Wt|uX >2<6 A6@A=6 D:4<]k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#62=:EJi x7 J@F DE2?5 ?6IE E@ 2? :?G6CE6C[ J@F’== 86E E96 D2>6 t|u 2D 2? 6=64EC:4 42? @A6?6C[ ?@E6D E96 r@=F>3:2 DEF5J] x7 J@F 86E h 766E 2H2J 7C@> :E[ E92E t|u 5C@AD ?62C=J E@ K6C@] *@F 86E >F49 >@C6 6IA@DFC6 92?8:?8 @FE 3J J@FC 7C:586 @C >:4C@H2G6]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m|JE9i $@=2C 72C>D 2C6 E@@ 92C5 E@ 564@>>:DD:@? 2?5 4=62? FA]k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#62=:EJi |@DE D@=2C A2?6=D 2C6 C64J4=65 E96D6 52JD] p?5 56G6=@A6CD 2C6 EJA:42==J @? E96 9@@< E@ 4=62? FA @=5 D@=2C 72C>D[ 2? @3=:82E:@? @7E6? D64FC65 H:E9 2 3@?5] %96 2>@F?E @7 D@=2C\A2?6= H2DE6 :D ?68=:8:3=6 4@>A2C65 H:E9[ D2J[ 9:89=J E@I:4 4@2=\2D9 H2DE6[ ?@E6D 2 a_ab DEF5J 3J w62E96C |:C=6EK[ 2 C6D62C496C H:E9 E96 }2E:@?2= #6?6H23=6 t?6C8J {23@C2E@CJ]k^Am

kAmx? 724E[ J@F 42?’E E2=< 23@FE E96 962=E9 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :>A24ED @7 D@=2C H:E9@FE H6:89:?8 E96> 282:?DE E96 2=E6C?2E:G6D] u=J 2D9 7C@> 3FC?:?8 4@2= =62496D 72C >@C6 =625[ 425>:F> 2?5 @E96C >2E6C:2=D :?E@ E96 8C@F?5[ 92C>:?8 9F>2? 962=E9 2?5 28C:4F=EFC6] %96 6DE:>2E65 a >:==:@? F?A=F8865[ F?FD65 @:= 2?5 82D H6==D :? E96 &]$] AF>A @:= 2?5 @E96C E@I:?D :?E@ E96 =2?5 2?5 H2E6C 2?5 6>:E A=2?6E\962E:?8 >6E92?6[ 2D 2 D6A2C2E6 !C@!F3=:42 :?G6DE:82E:@? :? a_ac ?@E65]k^Am

kAm|62?H9:=6[ 3FC?:?8 7@DD:= 7F6=D :D >2<:?8 E96 A=2?6E 9@EE6C[ C2:D:?8 E96 C:D<D @7 5C@F89E[ H:=57:C6[ 5:D62D6 2?5 @E96C E9:?8D E92E H:== 4@DE >:==:@?D @7 =:G6D 2?5 EC:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD :? =@DE 64@?@>:4 AC@5F4E:G:EJ :7 H6 5@?’E 492?86 4@FCD6 BF:4<=J]k^Am

kAm%96 9F>2? 3C2:? :D 92C5H:C65 E@ ECFDE E9:?8D E92E 2C6 72>:=:2C 2?5 E@ 5:DECFDE E9:?8D E92E 2C6 ?6H] %9:D 5@6D?’E >2<6 A6@A=6 5F>3[ 3FE :E 5@6D >2<6 E96> GF=?6C23=6 E@ 762C\>@?86C:?8 3J E96 7@DD:=\7F6= :?E6C6DED @7E6? 369:?5 D66>:?8=J “8C2DDC@@ED” C6D:DE2?46 E@ C6=2E:G6=J ?6H E649?@=@8:6D DF49 2D D@=2C 2?5 H:?5] x? E9@D6 42D6D[ :?4C62D:?8 72>:=:2C:EJ D9@F=5 3C665 25>:C2E:@?[ ?@E 4@?E6>AE]k^Am

kAmk6>m|2C< v@?8=@77 :D 2 q=@@>36C8 ~A:?:@? 65:E@C 2?5 4@=F>?:DE 4@G6C:?8 4=:>2E6 492?86] w6 AC6G:@FD=J H@C<65 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^u@CEF?6]4@>Qmu@CEF?6]4@>k^2m[ E96 wF77:?8E@? !@DE 2?5 E96 (2== $EC66E y@FC?2=k^6>m]k^Am

View full article

here today, more tomorrow

We’ve launched briefing.center with a focus on the press and media.

And we’ve added Citizen Cartwright, a daily quick-read news summary by veteran Washington journalist Linda Cartwright. We’ve also created a new voting rights knowledge center for Citizen Cartwright subscribers. (You can sign up for a dedicated morning email at citizencartwright.com.)

You can sign up here for full access to press and media and Citizen Cartwright on briefing.center.

You can use briefing.center as the center of your information management, or just one of your tools. We’re happy to discuss your information needs.

Sign up