New Books in the History of Science

Nuclear Ghosts: Ryo Morimoto (EF, JP)


Listen Later

John and Elizabeth, in this special Centennial episode of Recall this Book, explore spectral radiation with Ryo Morimoto, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University. His new book Nuclear Ghost: Atomic Livelihoods in Fukushima's Grey Zone (University of California Press, 2023) is based on several years of fieldwork in coastal Fukushima after the triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident. Ryo's book shows how residents of the region live with and through the "nuclear ghost" that resides with them.

The trio discuss ways that residents acclimatize themselves to the presence of radiation, efforts to live their lives in ways not only shaped by catastrophe and irradiation, and the Geiger counter as a critical object.

Ryo relates the astonishing--but when you stop to think unsurprising—fact that "once you have [a Geiger counter] you actually want to see higher scores."

Mentioned in this episode:

  • Paul Saint-Amour, Tense Future
  • Arkady and Boris Strugatsky Roadside Picnic
  • Tarkovksy, Stalker (the film)
  • Stalker (the video game)
  • Haruki Murakami 1Q84
  • Pat Barker The Ghost Road
  • Read the episode here

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    New Books in the History of ScienceBy New Books Network

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    5 ratings


    More shows like New Books in the History of Science

    View all
    Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    Freakonomics Radio

    32,272 Listeners

    Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

    Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

    38,812 Listeners

    In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

    In Our Time

    5,519 Listeners

    New Books in Science, Technology, and Society by New Books Network

    New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

    32 Listeners

    The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

    The Infinite Monkey Cage

    1,962 Listeners

    Pod Save America by Pod Save America

    Pod Save America

    87,909 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    112,999 Listeners

    Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll

    Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

    4,172 Listeners

    The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie and Katya by Studio71 & Confetti Cannon

    The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie and Katya

    11,425 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    15,816 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    16,437 Listeners