Making physics & anti-nuclear activism fun

Lynda Williams is known as “The Physics Chanteuse.” She is “an American physicist, singer, writer, and activist known for blending science, music, satire, and performance art,” as her website notes.

In this Enviro Close-Up with journalist Karl Grossman, she explains how she developed a strong interest in physics after going to a talk given by Dr. Helen Caldicott and watching Carl Sagan’s TV series “Cosmos.” After studying physics, she taught it as a college professor for 20 years. 

Meanwhile, while in graduate school, she began her science-themed stage production, Cosmic Cabaret, blending physics concepts with theatre, and performing in the U.S. and internationally as “The Physics Chanteuse” at scientific conferences, in theatres, academic gatherings and events including a birthday party for Steven Hawking.

In this program, she challenges the current push for a nuclear power “renaissance,” discusses nuclear war, the “small modular reactors” now being promoted by the nuclear industry, the radioactive impacts of depleted uranium weapons, at CounterPunch: “As a physicist and concerned citizen, I find myself outraged every time I scroll through social media and encounter tweets from the Department of Energy and the Office of Nuclear Energy touting nuclear power as ‘clean, safe, and carbon-free.’ This narrative not only misrepresents the dirty reality of nuclear power but also obscures the significant environmental and health risks associated with its production and waste. It’s infuriating to see government agencies knowingly lie and promote such misleading information, while ignoring the pressing issues faced by communities affected by the toxic reality of the nuclear power industry—propaganda paid for by U.S. taxpayers!” 

This highly knowledgeable and articulate scientist provides the truth.

Karl was one of the key founders of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space in 1992 and Lynda is a long-time GN member as well. They give a nice plug about the GN in the middle of this interesting and fun video.