Chiyo Nohara, member of a research team studying the effects of radioactivity on butterflies in the Fukushima area, died at Okinawa, Japan, on 28 October 2015 after a long illness. Ms Nohara’s presentation of her group’s work was a remarkable feature of the Scientific and Citizen Forum on the Genetic Effects of Radioactivity organised by IndependentWHO in Geneva on 29 Novemver 2014. IndependentWHO sent a message of condolences to her colleagues at the University of the Ryukus, Okinawa.