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Electromagnetic Radiation Safety

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
2.4.2023 00:19

The "Havana syndrome": A special case of electrohypersensitivity?


On March 28, the U.S. intelligence community released a declassified, but heavily redacted, extensive report on the potential causes of the "Havana Syndrome," entitled "Anomalous Health Incidents: Analysis of Potential Causal Mechanisms." Consistent with the National Academy of Sciences investigation, the report reaffirms the plausibility that the syndrome is caused by pulsed, radiofrequency radiation.
The report was originally issued by the Intelligence Community Experts Panel in September, 2022. The panel consisted of experts in science, medicine and engineering. The panel reviewed more than a thousand classified documents and interviewed people who experienced anomalous health incidents (AHIs).
The panel reached six major conclusions:
  • The signs and symptoms of AHIs are genuine and compelling.
  • A subset of AHIs have a unique combination of core characteristics that cannot be explained by known environmental or medical conditions and could be due to external stimuli.
  • Electromagnetic energy, particularly pulsed signals in the radiofrequency range, plausibly explains the core characteristics, although information gaps exist.
  • Ultrasound also plausibly explains the core characteristics, but only in close-access scenarios and with information gaps.
  • Psychosocial factors alone cannot account for the core characteristics, although they may explain some other reported incidents or contribute to long-term signs and symptoms.
  • Ionizing radiation, chemical and biological agents, infrasound, audible sound, ultrasound propagated over large distances, and bulk heating from electromagnetic energy are all implausible explanations for the core characteristics in the absence of other synergistic stimuli.
The panel made recommendations regarding detection, diagnosis, and treatment of AHIs and development of biomarkers.
An excerpt from this report:
"Little research in the West has systematically explored configurations of electromagnetic energy that could cause nonthermal clinical effects. Although there is a large amount of research on such effects—an estimated 25,000 publications as of 2018 89—the vast majority has understandably focused on configurations related to the safety of commercial appliances and communication systems.
Interestingly, safety standards in Russia 90 and many other former Soviet states 91 place much stricter limits on human exposure to electromagnetic fields than current Western standards.
Western scientists have attempted to replicate Russian claims of biological effects at nonthermal power levels despite the absence of details about the waveforms and energy levels of greatest concern, but their efforts have failed to show similar results. Thus, the primary organizations responsible for setting Western exposure standards do not include most of the Russian studies in their considerations. 92 93
The data from these incidents are generally consistent with academic research [redacted text] but are too limited to draw firm conclusions. 94 95 They seem to suggest, however, that different individuals can experience the same type of stimulus in different ways, which may help account for some of the observed heterogeneity in cases exhibiting the core characteristics. In addition, higher power exposures appear to generate symptoms that are distinct from those with less intense exposures, suggesting that more than one variable or biological mechanism may be at play. Lastly, the effects of electromagnetic exposure may be cumulative over time (e.g., over hours) and may be capable of triggering acute symptoms without warning. The Panel emphasizes, however, that confirming or disconfirming any of these preliminary observations will require systematic research."

Salon and Microwave News have reported this story.

My note: To date the evidence for many of the anomalous health incidents is consistent with electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Furthermore, my hypothesis that the source of the electromagnetic fields could be a microwave surveillance activity, as opposed to a microwave weapon attack, still seems plausible (see my posts below from 2017 on).
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Mar 3, 2023
Updated Assessment of Anomalous Health Incidents
National Intelligence Council. Updated Assessment of Anomalous Health Incidents. CA 2023-02286-B. March 1, 2023.
The report "addresses the question of whether one or more foreign actors bears responsibility, either deliberately or unintentionally, for causing anomalous health incidents (AHIs) reported by US Government officials across multiple agencies since 2016...."
"The IC pursued three separate lines of inquiry: the first encompassed work determining whether available data points to the involvement of a foreign adversary in the incidents; the second focused on the feasibility and existence of deliberate mechanisms that an adversary might use against US personnel to cause AHIs; and the third evaluated whether medical analysis can help determine if an outside actor is involved in the broad range of phenomena and symptoms associated with AHIs. Based on the results of these three lines of inquiry, most IC agencies have concluded that it is "very unlikely" a foreign adversary is responsible for the reported AHIs. IC agencies have varying confidence levels, with two agencies at moderate-to-high confidence while three are at moderate confidence. Two agencies judge it is "unlikely" an adversary was responsible for AHIs and they do so with low confidence based on collection gaps and their review of the same evidence...."
"A review of intelligence reporting, open-source information, and scientific and medical literature about foreign weapons and research programs, as well as engagement with researchers inside and outside the US Government have led IC agencies to judge that there is no credible evidence that a foreign adversary has a weapon or collection device that is causing AHIs. As a result, most agencies assess that deliberate causal mechanisms are very unlikely to have caused the sensory phenomena and adverse symptoms associated with AHIs but with varying confidence levels. Two agencies have high confidence in this judgment while three agencies have moderate confidence. Two agencies judge that deliberate causal mechanisms are unlikely to have caused AHIs and have low confidence because they judge that radiofrequency (RF) energy is a plausible cause for AHIs, based in part on the findings of the IC Expert Panel and the results of research by some US laboratories. All agencies acknowledge the value of additional research on potential adversary capabilities in the RF field, in part because there continues to be a scientific debate on whether this could result in a weapon that could produce the symptoms seen in some of the reported AHI cases."

https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/reports-publications/reports-publications-2023/item/2360-dni-statement-on-the-intelligence-community-assessment-on-ahis

NOTE: No agency has publicly ruled out the possibility that the exposures causing the "anomalous health incidents" were due to surveillance by a foreign actor. This could be accomplished with a moderate-intensity microwave device, rather than a high-intensity microwave weapon (e.g., "Moscow Signals"), and could cause the symptoms experienced by many of the people who were exposed due to electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Sep 15, 2022
The Moscow Signals Declassified: Microwave Diplomacy, 1967-1977
William Burr & Peter Kornbluh, National Security Archive (Briefing Book #805), Sep 15, 2022

"The history of the Moscow Signal has received renewed media attention in recent months as a potential historical precedent for the 'Havana Syndrome'—a mysterious constellation of cognitive and neurological symptoms suffered by CIA and State Department personnel in Havana and elsewhere that led to the shuttering of the CIA Station in Cuba and drastic staff reductions at the U.S. Embassy in Havana five years ago this month. Significant differences between the two phenomena notwithstanding, in interviews and articles a number of former diplomats who were exposed to the Moscow Signal have compared the two episodes. "Today's Havana Syndrome is 'like déjà vu all over again,'" wrote retired diplomat James Schumaker, who developed leukemia after serving in Russia in the 1970s, in an article for The Foreign Service Journal titled 'Before Havana Syndrome there was Moscow Signal.'

The Archive's 'Microwave Diplomacy, 1967-1977' posting is the second of a two-part series on the Moscow Signal. Part I, 'PANDORA/BIZARRE,' was published on September 13. A related posting concerning the Soviet beaming of ionizing radiation, 'Irradiating Richard Nixon,' will be published the week of September 19...."

"High-level U.S. efforts to press Soviet leaders to halt the radiation activity began in 1967 and continued under four administrations into the Carter era. The microwave transmissions, believed to be related to bugging devices hidden in the Embassy walls, continued for decades after they were first detected when the U.S. Chancery opened in the early 1950s...."

For more information on the Moscow Signal, see summaries of 32 recently declassified documents in addition to the original documents:

https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/intelligence-russia-programs/2022-09-15/moscow-signals-declassified-microwave
See also: The Guardian US: US hid fears of radiation in Moscow embassy in 70s from staff, documents reveal.
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Intelligence Community Expert Panel: Executive Summary

On February 1, 2022, the executive summary from a report prepared by the IC (U.S. Intelligence Community) Expert Panel on Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs) was declassified by Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence.

The report makes the following conclusions:

"Four 'core characteristics' were prominent among these AHIs: the acute onset of audio-vestibular sensory phenomena, sometimes including sound or pressure in only one ear or on one side of the head; other nearly simultaneous signs and symptoms such as vertigo, loss of balance, and ear pain; a strong sense of locality or directionality; and the absence of known environmental or medical conditions that could have caused the reported signs and symptoms."

"The signs and symptoms of AHIs are genuine and compelling. The panel bases this assessment on incident reports, medical data from affected individuals and interviews with their physicians, and interviews with affected individuals themselves. Some incidents have affected multiple persons in the same space, and clinical samples from a few affected individuals have shown early, transient elevations in biomarkers suggestive of cellular injury to the nervous system. The reported signs and symptoms of AHIs are diverse and may be caused by multiple mechanisms, but no case should be discounted."

"... the combination of the four core characteristics is distinctly unusual and unreported elsewhere in the medical literature, and so far have not been associated with a specific neurological abnormality. Several aspects of this unique neurosensory syndrome make it unlikely to be caused by a functional neurological disorder. The location dependence and sudden onset and offset, for example, argue for a stimulus that is spatially and temporally discrete. The perception of sound and pain within only one ear suggests the stimulation of its mechanoreceptors, a specific cranial nerve, or nuclei in the brainstem, all of which mediate hearing and balance. The lack of other symptoms also helped rule-out known medical conditions."

"Pulsed electromagnetic energy, particularly in the radiofrequency range, plausibly explains the core characteristics, although information gaps exist. There are several plausible pathways involving various forms of pulsed electromagnetic energy, each with its own requirements, limitations, and unknowns. For all the pathways, sources exist that could generate the required stimulus, are concealable, and have moderate power requirements. Using nonstandard {redacted words} antennas and techniques, the signals could be propagated with low loss through air for tens to hundreds of meters, and with some loss, through most building materials. {redacted sentence}."

"Ultrasound also plausibly explains the core characteristics, but only in close-access scenarios and with information gaps...."

"Psychosocial factors alone cannot account for the core characteristics, although they may cause some other incidents or contribute to long-term symptoms...."

"Ionizing radiation, chemical and biological agents, infrasound, audible sound, ultrasound propagated over large distances, and bulk heating from electromagnetic energy are all implausible explanations for the core characteristics in the absence of other synergistic stimuli. These mechanisms are unlikely, on their own, to account for the required effects or are technically or practically infeasible...."

Three of the seven recommendations are completely redacted: Detectors, Biological Effects, and Devices to Aid Research.

The executive summary can be downloaded:

https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/2022_02_01_AHI_Executive_Summary_FINAL_Redacted.pdf

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Nov 9, 2021 (Updated Nov 26, 2021)

"Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday detailed new efforts to investigate "Havana syndrome," the mysterious health affliction affecting dozens of U.S. personnel first identified in Cuba and now including several countries."

"Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, cognitive difficulties, tinnitus, vertigo and trouble with seeing, hearing or balancing. Many officials have suffered symptoms years after reporting an incident, while some have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries."

"In an effort to learn more, Blinken confirmed Friday that the State Department has deployed new technology to U.S. missions around the world to help understand the cause.

'The details I can provide on this are limited as well, but I can say that new technology is helping us more quickly and thoroughly evaluate a variety of potential causes of these incidents, and we've distributed across posts so that we can respond rapidly to new reports,' he said."

(Conor Finnegan and Matt Seyler, "Blinken details new efforts to investigate 'Havana syndrome," ABC News, Nov 5, 2021)

In my opinion, the "Havana syndrome" is likely caused by exposure to microwave or radio frequency radiation (RFR) resulting in the onset of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) in exposed individuals who have greater sensitivity to RFR. Moreover, as I explained to the Daily Mail in December 2017 the symptoms may be caused by exposure to low-moderate intensity microwave radiation used for surveillance:

"The finding that the attacks led to perceptible changes in their brains is also one of several factors fueling growing skepticism that some kind of sonic weapon was involved.

'This makes me think the victims may have developed electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) from exposure to electromagnetic fields in the embassy,' Joel Moskowitz, a community health professor at the University of California, Berkeley, told Daily Mail Online.

'This happened during the Cold War to personnel stationed in the US embassy in Moscow when the Soviets were bombarding the embassy with microwaves to monitor oral communications in the ambassador's office.'"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5151315/Doctors-identify-brain-abnormalities-Cuba-attack-patients.html
If my hypothesis is correct that a surveillance device is the source of exposure for the "Havana syndrome" rather than a weapon, and if only a minority of exposed individuals are susceptible to developing serious symptoms associated with EHS, then the extent of surveillance could be widespread, placing our nation's secrets at risk.
William Broad of the New York Times interviewed me for a story on the "Havana syndrome" in September 2018. He dismissed my hypothesis that the effects observed in Havana were due to EHS and that the source of the exposure may have been microwave-based surveillance technology rather than weaponry. In his article, he did not cite me or Dr. Beatrice Golomb, a colleague from UC San Diego whom he also interviewed who had published a paper on the Havana syndrome in which she hypothesized that it was caused by pulsed microwave radiation (see abstract below).

In October 2019, following up on a referral from Allan Frey (who pioneered the research on microwave hearing and blood-brain-barrier penetration), Dr. Thaddeus Thomas from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) contacted me to learn about the science regarding health effects from RFR exposure. He informed me that the ARL was heading a joint military task force to determine whether an adversary had developed new weapon technology based on RFR. I shared with him the research on EHS. I cautioned him not to assume that the "attack" was a weapon as it could have been from microwave-based surveillance technology because health effects have been observed in many individuals who experienced relatively low levels of RFR exposure. Moreover, Russian surveillance was a prime explanation for similar incidents that occurred at the U.S. embassy in Moscow during the Cold War (aka "Moscow signal").

BTW, the smallest microwave weapon I am aware of, the Silent Guardian active denial system, requires a 10,000 pound containerized system to generate a 30-kilowatt beam. The primary symptom is a burning sensation in the skin, not strange sounds.
In October 2021, pursuing the military weapon angle, Dr. Thomas and his colleagues published the following paper in the AAAS journal Science Advances. This joint U.S. Army/Air Force study found pulsed microwaves compliant with current safety standards could potentially cause traumatic brain injury.
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Computational modeling investigation of pulsed high peak power microwaves and the potential for traumatic brain injury
Amy M Dagro, Justin W Wilkerson, Thaddeus P Thomas, Benjamin T Kalinosky, Jason A Payne. Computational modeling investigation of pulsed high peak power microwaves and the potential for traumatic brain injury. Sci Adv. 2021 Oct 29;7(44):eabd8405. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd8405.
Amy Dagro and Thaddeus Thomas are with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Benjamin Kalinosky is with General Dynamics Information Technology, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX; and Jason Payne is with U.S, Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Airman Systems Directorate, Bioeffects Division, Radio Frequency Bioeffects Branch, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX; Justin Wilkerson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
Abstract

When considering safety standards for human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) and microwave energy, the dominant concerns pertain to a thermal effect. However, in the case of high-power pulsed RF/microwave energy, a rapid thermal expansion can lead to stress waves within the body. In this study, a computational model is used to estimate the temperature profile in the human brain resulting from exposure to various RF/microwave incident field parameters. The temperatures are subsequently used to simulate the resulting mechanical response of the brain. Our simulations show that, for certain extremely high-power microwave exposures (permissible by current safety standards), very high stresses may occur within the brain that may have implications for neuropathological effects. Although the required power densities are orders of magnitude larger than most real-world exposure conditions, they can be achieved with devices meant to emit high-power electromagnetic pulses in military and research applications.

Excerpts

"The bulk of scientific literature uses continuous waves and moderate field strengths (typical of real-life scenarios), with less emphasis on pulsed fields of very high peak strength that may occur with ultrawideband pulse generators or EM pulse simulators (4). It is worth investigating whether extremely high peak power sources applied with a slow repetition frequency, or low duty cycle, can induce injurious effects without thermal buildup greater than a few degrees Celsius."

"With the exception of low intracranial absorption at 1400 MHz, the highest ratio of peak average intracranial SAR* to peak average skin SAR* occurs between 1 to 1.8 GHz."

"The MAE, also referred to as "microwave hearing" or the "Frey effect" due to its discovery by Allan Frey in 1961 (7, 8), was initially observed when subjects standing up to hundreds of feet away from a radar transponder could hear an audible tonal noise (e.g., chirping, buzzing, or clicking). The scientific underpinnings of the MAE were controversial for the first several years (9–11). After more than a decade of investigations, it became generally accepted that the perceived sound is due to the cochlea detecting stress waves that result from a rapid temperature rise in tissues within the head due to pulsed RF/microwave exposure (11, 12)."

"Typically, relatively low-average powers and small temperature changes (10−6°C) are required to elicit the MAE (12). Although adverse health effects from the MAE have not been previously established, one study on rodents suggests that very high–peak power pulsed microwaves can result in cognitive deficits (13)."

"This study uses a two-simulation approach to investigate whether an HPM source could theoretically induce adverse mechanical responses within the brain."

"This study has shown that, by applying a small temperature increase (<0.0005°C) in a very short amount of time (less than several microseconds), potentially injurious stress waves are created."

"For frequencies between 400 MHz to 2 GHz, the IEEE C95.1 RF exposure guidelines limit the exposure reference limit (ERL) to fmhz/200 (W/m2) over an averaging time of 30 min. For 1-GHz exposures, the IEEE C95.1 ERL of 5 W/m2 over 30 min would equate to an average energy density of 9000 J/m2. Our computational model shows that, for sufficiently high incident power densities, a single pulse could potentially result in biologically meaningful pressures. For example, large pressures may occur following 1-GHz frequency, a pulse duration of 5 μs, and incident power densities of at least 1.5 × 107 W/m2. The energy density associated with such a pulse would be equal to PIN×τd or 75 J/m2 (significantly less than the ERL standard)."

"Note that the proposed HPM power densities in this study are extremely large and several orders of magnitude larger than power densities typically experienced by the public. As an illustrative example, at around 200 feet from a cell phone base station, a person will be exposed to a power density of only 0.001 mW/cm2 or less (36). This study establishes a testable hypothesis between potential neurocognitive effects and the thermoelastic mechanism from HPM systems. To date, however, adverse effects from HPM systems have not been established in the scientific literature."

Open access paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8555891/
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New Report Assesses Illnesses Among U.S. Government Personnel and Their Families at Overseas Embassies

News Release, National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, December 5, 2020

WASHINGTON — Government personnel and their families at the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, in late 2016, and later at the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou, China, began suffering from a range of unusual — and in some cases suddenly occurring — symptoms such as a perceived loud noise, ear pain, intense head pressure or vibration, dizziness, visual problems, and cognitive difficulties, and many still continue to experience these or other health problems. As part of its effort to ascertain potential causes of the illnesses, inform government employees more effectively about health risks at posts abroad, and determine best medical practices for screening, prevention, and treatment for both short- and long-term health problems, the U.S. Department of State asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide advice. After undergoing a security review, the National Academies' report is now available.

In examining plausible causes of these illnesses, the committee that conducted the study and wrote the report considered the possibilities of directed, pulsed radio frequency energy, chemical exposures, infectious diseases such as Zika, and psychological issues. An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies says that among the mechanisms the committee considered, directed, pulsed radio frequency energy appears to be the most plausible mechanism in explaining these cases, especially in individuals with the distinct early symptoms. Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) — a functional (not psychiatric) vestibular disorder that may be triggered by vestibular, neurologic, or other medical and psychological conditions — is a secondary reinforcing mechanism, as well as the possible additive effects of psychological conditions.

The committee could not rule out other possible mechanisms and found it is likely that a multiplicity of factors explains some cases and the differences between others. In particular, it could not be certain that the individuals with only the chronic set of signs and symptoms suffered from the same causes and mechanisms as those who reported the initial, sudden onset set of signs and symptoms. The committee noted that it faced several challenges in its assessment, related to the extreme variability in the clinical cases as well as lack of access to specific health or personal information on the affected individuals.

"The committee found these cases quite concerning, in part because of the plausible role of directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy as a mechanism, but also because of the significant suffering and debility that has occurred in some of these individuals," said committee chair David Relman, Thomas C. and Joan M. Merigan Professor in Medicine, professor of microbiology and immunology, and senior fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. "We as a nation need to address these specific cases as well as the possibility of future cases with a concerted, coordinated, and comprehensive approach."

The report includes a number of recommendations for rehabilitation and actions the State Department should take to enhance responses to future threats to the well-being of its personnel and their families.

The study — undertaken by the Standing Committee to Advise the U.S. Department of State on Unexplained Health Effects on U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies — was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.

Consensus Study Report: An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies

In late 2016, U.S. Embassy personnel in Havana, Cuba, began to report the development of an unusual set of symptoms and clinical signs. For some of these patients, their case began with the sudden onset of a loud noise, perceived to have directional features, and accompanied by pain in one or both ears or across a broad region of the head, and in some cases, a sensation of head pressure or vibration, dizziness, followed in some cases by tinnitus, visual problems, vertigo, and cognitive difficulties. Other personnel attached to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China, reported similar symptoms and signs to varying degrees, beginning in the following year. As of June 2020, many of these personnel continue to suffer from these and/or other health problems. Multiple hypotheses and mechanisms have been proposed to explain these clinical cases, but evidence has been lacking, no hypothesis has been proven, and the circumstances remain unclear.

The Department of State asked the National Academies to review the cases, their clinical features and management, epidemiologic investigations, and scientific evidence in support of possible causes, and advise on approaches for the investigation of potential future cases. In An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies, the committee identifies distinctive clinical features, considers possible causes, evaluates plausible mechanisms and rehabilitation efforts, and offers recommendations for future planning and responses.

https://www.nap.edu/read/25889/chapter/1
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Diplomats' Mystery Illness and Pulsed Radiofrequency/ Microwave Radiation
Beatrice Alexandra Golomb. Diplomats' Mystery Illness and Pulsed Radiofrequency/ Microwave Radiation. Neural Computation. November 2018. 30(11):2882-2985. doi: 10.1162/neco_a_01133.
UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA.
Abstract
Importance:
A mystery illness striking U.S. and Canadian diplomats to Cuba (and now China) "has confounded the FBI, the State Department and US intelligence agencies" (Lederman, Weissenstein, & Lee, 2017). Sonic explanations for the so-called health attacks have long dominated media reports, propelled by peculiar sounds heard and auditory symptoms experienced. Sonic mediation was justly rejected by experts. We assessed whether pulsed radiofrequency/microwave radiation (RF/MW) exposure can accommodate reported facts in diplomats, including unusual ones.
Observations:
(1) Noises: Many diplomats heard chirping, ringing or grinding noises at night during episodes reportedly triggering health problems. Some reported that noises were localized with laser-like precision or said the sounds seemed to follow them (within the territory in which they were perceived). Pulsed RF/MW engenders just these apparent "sounds" via the Frey effect. Perceived "sounds" differ by head dimensions and pulse characteristics and can be perceived as located behind in or above the head. Ability to hear the "sounds" depends on high-frequency hearing and low ambient noise.
(2) Signs/symptoms: Hearing loss and tinnitus are prominent in affected diplomats and in RF/MW-affected individuals. Each of the protean symptoms that diplomats report also affect persons reporting symptoms from RF/MW: sleep problems, headaches, and cognitive problems dominate in both groups. Sensations of pressure or vibration figure in each. Both encompass vision, balance, and speech problems and nosebleeds. Brain injury and brain swelling are reported in both.
(3) Mechanisms: Oxidative stress provides a documented mechanism of RF/MW injury compatible with reported signs and symptoms; sequelae of endothelial dysfunction (yielding blood flow compromise), membrane damage, blood-brain barrier disruption, mitochondrial injury, apoptosis, and autoimmune triggering afford downstream mechanisms, of varying persistence, that merit investigation.
(4) Of note, microwaving of the U.S. embassy in Moscow is historically documented.
Conclusions and relevance:
Reported facts appear consistent with pulsed RF/MW as the source of injury in affected diplomats. Nondiplomats citing symptoms from RF/MW, often with an inciting pulsed-RF/MW exposure, report compatible health conditions. Under the RF/MW hypothesis, lessons learned for diplomats and for RF/MW-affected civilians may each aid the other.
https://cognet.mit.edu/journal/10.1162/neco_a_01133
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The "Moscow signal" epidemiological study, 40 years on
Martínez JA. The "Moscow signal" epidemiological study, 40 years on. Rev Environ Health. 2019 Mar 26;34(1):13-24. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2018-0061.
Abstract

Between 1953 and 1979, the USSR irradiated the United States embassy in Moscow with microwaves. This episode, a classic Cold War affair, has acquired enormous importance in the discussions on the effect of non-ionizing radiation on people's health. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as being a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B), but the results of recent laboratory and epidemiological studies have led some researchers to conclude that radiofrequency electromagnetic fields should be reclassified as a human carcinogen instead of merely a possible human carcinogen. In 1978, the "Moscow signal" case was officially closed after the publication of the epidemiological study of (Lilienfeld AM, Tonascia J, Tonascia S, Libauer CA, Cauthen GM. Foreign Service health status study. Evaluation of health status of foreign service and other employees from selected Eastern European posts. Report on Foreign Service Health Status Study, U.S. Department of State 6025-619073, 1978.), showing no apparent evidence of increased mortality rates and limited evidence regarding general health status. However, several loose ends still remain with respect to this epidemiological study, as well as the affair as a whole. In this paper, we summarize the available evidence concerning this case, paying special attention to the epidemiological study of Lilienfeld et al. After reviewing the available literature (including declassified documents), and after some additional statistical analyses, we provide new insights which do not complete the puzzle, but which may help to better understand it.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30676008/
Excerpts
The Soviet objective

To activate listening devices on the walls? This may well have been, as we have just indicated, one of the explanations given by the Americans, but serious doubts had, by this time, been cast on American institutional credibility. After all, the State Department had, for more than 15 years, hidden from its own employees the fact that that they were being irradiated, had lied to them about the purpose of the blood tests, and had categorically denied that some of the results were of concern to their health. For example, the State Department had reported that Ambassador Walter Stoessel was in good health and that blood tests showing high levels of white blood cells were unrelated to leukemia (13). Nevertheless, Stoessel died of leukemia on December 9, 1986, aged 66 (27).

The mind control hypothesis was also considered by the American government (28). The Americans themselves had been experimenting on mind control as part of the MK ULTRA project, and suspected that the Soviets might be doing the same.

The former CIA agent Victor Marchetti claimed that the microwave bombardment had nothing to do with a threat to health, but with a strategy of confusion in order to waste the time of the American government while it studied and analyzed what it believed might be taking place (13). Whether this is true or not, the reality is that the American government had indeed devoted huge resources and efforts to analyzing what had happened, especially with the epidemiological study of Lilienfeld et al. (1).

The Soviets, on the other hand, finally admitted at the beginning of 1976 to the use of microwaves, after denying it for 15 years. The official version until then had been that the radiation detected by the Americans at the embassy was caused by the industrial activity of a large city such as Moscow. When they finally came clean, they indicated that the purpose of the bombardment had not been to damage the health of the American personnel, but to interfere in the communications of the embassy (11).

In the end, both official versions concurred, which, given the history of lies and deceit by the two sides involved, may be equally suspect....


Four decades on, the "Moscow signal" case has transmuted into "the Thing" or "the Havana syndrome" (45). From December, 2016, to August, 2017, some State Department personnel and other CIA employees began to suffer a series of neurological symptoms, including headaches, dizziness and sleep abnormalities, while working at the Cuban embassy, or staying at other places in Havana, such as the Capri and Nacional hotels.

Because of the political nature of this affair, many details remain undisclosed, such as the names of the CIA employees affected, who exactly was responsible for the attack (the Cuban government continues to deny all knowledge), or the specific "weapon" employed (some scientists suspect a microwave attack). However, the preliminary results of the study of Swanson et al. (7) on 21 individuals identified by the US Department of State as having possibly been exposed, showed persistent cognitive, vestibular, and oculomotor dysfunction, as well as sleep impairment and headaches, along with reports of directional audible and/or sensory phenomena of unclear origin. As Swanson et al. (7) concluded, these individuals appeared to have sustained injury to widespread brain networks without an associated history of head trauma.

Therefore, there exist clear similitudes with the Moscow embassy case; a (hypothesized) directional weapon that produces several identifiable neurocognitive symptoms and that leaves no detectable traces, contextualized in a framework of secrecy and political tension. The main difference is that, in the Cuban case, there is still no confirmation of the use of microwaves....


Power densities measured at the Moscow embassy were higher than the average levels typically found nowadays in homes, schools and urban areas, and were of the same order of magnitude as the more extreme case of living just a few meters from a base station (see (19)) This means that exposure at the embassy could have been high in terms of today's typical levels of exposure. Nevertheless, the exposure was several orders of magnitude lower than those suggested by the ICNRIP guidelines, adopted by many countries as legal limits. As Hardell et al. (19) indicated, the BioInitiative Report (49) with updated references defined the scientific benchmark for possible health risks as 0.000003–0.000006 mW/cm2. Consequently, the exposure at the Moscow embassy was from 3 to 4 orders of magnitude higher than this safety benchmark, but 3 orders of magnitude lower than the legal limits of many countries.
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Research on high power microwave weapons
Guoqi Ni, Benqing Gao, Junwei Lu. Research on high power microwave weapons. 2005 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference Proceedings, 2005, doi: 10.1109/APMC.2005.1606492.
Abstract
This article describes for high power microwave (abbreviation HPM) weapons research from its procedures and developing trends. In the process of researching, developing and using weapons, we have been seeking a real "multi-purpose" weapon which is able to attack the overall target, suitable in all climates and on multi-platform carrier, both for battle field and peace keeping operations. As a result of over twenty years of research, HPM weapons are found to be the optimum answer for all the questions.
Conclusions
Due to classification restrictions, details of this work are relatively unknown outside the military community. The author in this article analyses the current available information and discusses it from several periods, the purpose is to encourage others coming up with valuable opinions.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1606492



Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
2.4.2023 00:05

Overview of Contents


Tips to Reduce Your Wireless Radiation Exposure
Overview
Welcome to EMR Safety

Featured News Stories
"Health Effects of Cellphone & Cell Tower Radiation: Implications for 5G" (Joel Moskowitz, UC Center for Occupational & Environmental Health webinar / video & slides, 2021)
"Wireless Radiation: What Environmental Health Leaders Should Know" (Multiple presenters, Jonas Philanthropies and Health & Environmental Funders Network webinar / video, 2021
"Radio Frequency Radiation Health Risks: Implications for 5G" (Occupational & Environmental Medicine Grand Rounds, UC San Francisco webinar / video & slides, 2020)
"Cell Phones, Cell Towers, and Wireless Safety" (Invited UC Berkeley public presentation / transcript, video, podcast & slides, 2019)

"Why experts believe wireless radiation is harmful" (Slides & comments from brief presentation, 2019)International EMF Scientist Appeal - also see https://emfscientist.org/ (video)
"Cellphone radiation is harmful, but few want to believe it" (Joel Moskowitz, UC Berkeley News, 2021)Wall Street Journal asks "Should Cellphones Have Warning Labels?"
Mobilize: A Film About Cell Phone Radiation (documentary video) Wireless Radiation TV News Coverage (300+ TV news videos)
Overview Articles


5G: Health and Environmental Impact

"Regulators Steamroll Health Concerns as the Global Economy Embraces 5G" (The Washington Spectator) "We Have No Reason to Believe 5G is Safe" (Scientific American) Scientific American Created Confusion about 5G's Safety: Will They Clear It Up?
5G Wireless Technology: Is 5G Harmful to Our Health? 5G Wireless Technology: Millimeter Wave Health Effects
Scientists and Doctors Demand Moratorium on 5GGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) 2020 Report on 5G5G and Health (Netherlands Health Council)European Parliament: 5G Health Effects and Environmental Impact
5G Wireless Technology: Cutting Through the Hype
5G Global Protest
5G Day of Action
5G Wireless Technology: Major newspaper editorials oppose "small cell" antenna bills
FCC Open Letter Calls for Moratorium on New Applications of Radiofrequency Radiation

Cell Tower Health Effects
Mobile Phone Health Effects
Key Cell Phone Radiation Research Studies
Recent Research on Wireless Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields (since 2016)
Scientific Evidence of Harm from Cell Phone Radiation: Two Years of Research


Cancer or Tumor Risk
Animal Studies
NTP Cell Phone Radiation Study: Final Reports
National Toxicology Program (NTP) Finds Cell Phone Radiation Causes Cancer
National Toxicology Program: Peer & public review of cell phone radiation study reports
NTP: Not the First Govt. Study to Find Wireless Radiation Can Cause Cancer in Lab Rats
Ramazzini Institute Cell Phone Radiation Study Replicates NTP Study

Head and Neck Tumor Risk
New review study finds that heavier cell phone use increases tumor riskExpert report by former U.S. govt. official: High probability RF radiation causes brain tumorsCell phone and cordless phone use causes brain cancer: New review
Long-Term Cell Phone Use Increases Brain Tumor Risk
Why do many scientists believe mobile phone use increases cancer risk?
WHO Monograph on Cancer Risk from Mobile Phone UseStoryline vs. Rest-of-the-story: Brain cancer incidence, cellphone use & trends data Acoustic Neuroma and Cell Phone Use Thyroid Cancer and Mobile Phone Use
Cell Phone Use and Salivary Gland Tumor Risk
MOBI-KIDS: Childhood Brain Tumor Risk & Mobile Phone Use Study
The UK Million Women Study of Cell Phone Use and Brain Tumor Risk
Brain Tumor Incidence
Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US:The Role of Cellphone & Cordless Phone Use
Trends in Brain Tumor Incidence Outside the U.S.
The Incidence of Meningioma, a Non-Malignant Brain Tumor, is Increasing in the U.S.


Reproductive Harm
Effect of Mobile Phones on Sperm QualityPregnancy & Wireless Radiation RisksFemale Infertility & Cell Phone Radiation


Other Health Risks
Research on Wireless Radiation Exposure to the Immune System Does long-term exposure to 4G LTE cell phone radiation impair cell phone users' health?
Secondhand Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation: An Emerging Public Health Problem?

Effects of Cell Phone Use on Adolescents
Research on Smart Phone and Internet Addiction
Has the Smart Phone Replaced the Cigarette?

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS)
Symptoms Experienced by Persons with EHS (FCC Docket #13-84)
The "Havana syndrome": A special case of electrohypersensitivity
Does Cell Phone and Wi-Fi Radiation Cause Alzheimer's Disease? Cellphone use may be harmful for people with dental braces

Cell Phone and Wireless Radiation
Wireless Radiation Exposure LimitsInternational Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF)Study: Wireless radiation exposure for children should be hundreds of times lower than federal limits (based on NTP study) What's Wrong with Cell Phone Radiation Exposure Limits? (SAR)
Children are more exposed to cell phone radio-frequency radiation than adults


Wireless Radiation Health Risks
Cell Tower Health Effects
Cell Phone Towers are Largest Contributor to Environmental Radiofrequency Radiation

Recent Research on WiFi Effects
Wi-Fi in Schools & Other Public PlacesCouncil of Europe: Restrict Wi-Fi and Mobile Phone Use in Schools

Health Experts Caution About Smart Meters
Hybrid & Electric Cars: Electromagnetic Radiation Risks

International Perspective on Health Effects of Low Intensity Non-Ionizing Radiation
Recent Research on Wireless Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields (since 2016)
Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (studies published from 1990 - 2023)
Power Watch: 1,670 Scientific Papers on EMF (1979 - 2018)
Four lectures on wireless radiation health effects
EMF Controversies in NeurobiologyGenetic effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields
Research on Wireless Radiation Exposure to the Immune System

Environmental Health Risks (Effects on Other Species)
Electromagnetic fields threaten wildlifeEffects of Wireless Radiation on Birds and Other WildlifeCell Tower Radiation Affects Wildlife: Dept. of Interior Attacks FCC

Product Safety
Buyer Beware: Cell Phone Radiation-Reducing Products
Cell Phone Cases Can Increase Radiation Exposure
Do iPhones emit more radiation than Samsung Galaxy phones?

iPhone XS and XR: Specific Absorption Rates or RF Exposure
iPhone X Models: Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) or RF Exposure
iPhone 8 Models: Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) or RF Exposure
iPhone 7 Models: Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) or RF Exposure
iPhone 6 SAR: Radiation Levels & Separation DistanceiPhone SE SAR: Radiation Levels & Separation Distance

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus Specific Absorption Rates (SAR)
Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus Specific Absorption Rates (SAR)
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Specific Absorption Rates (SAR)
Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge Specific Absorption Rates (SAR)


AirPods: Are Apple's New Wireless Earbuds Safe? (Blood-brain barrier effects)New Apple Watch Reignites Concerns over Cell Phone Radiation
Google Glass Alert: Potential health risks from wireless radiation


Power Line Frequencies (Extremely Low Frequency Fields)
Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (studies published from 1990 - 2023)PowerWatch: 1,670 Scientific Papers on EMF (1979 - 2018)Cancer Risks from Exposure to Power Lines and Electrical Appliances
Recent Research on Wireless Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields (since 2016)

Wireless Radiation Research, Guidelines & Regulatory Policies
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics: Protect Children from Cell Phone & Wireless Radiation

American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society: Cell Phone Radiation Risk

Berkeley Model Cell Phone Ordinance
Berkeley Cell Phone "Right to Know" Ordinance
Berkeley Cell Phone "Right to Know" Ordinance: Media Coverage
California Public Health Department
Cell Phone Safety Guidance from the California Public Health Department
California's Cell Phone Safety Guidance: Media Coverage
California's Cell Phone Safety Guidance: 2017 vs 2009

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
New York Times' Exposé of CDC's Retraction of Warnings about Cell Phone Radiation

Federal Communications Commission
How the FCC Shields Cellphone Companies from Safety Concerns (ProPublica) FCC Open Letter: Moratorium on New Commercial Applications of RF Radiation
FCC needs input regarding allocation of spectrum for 5G
An Exposé of the FCC: An Agency Captured by the Industries it Regulates FCC: Why We Need Stronger Cell Phone Radiation Regulations--Key Testimony FCC: Why We Need Stronger Cell Phone Radiation Regulations--Research Papers Cell Tower Radiation Affects Wildlife: Dept. of Interior Attacks FCC
Cell Phone Radiation Hazards in 2002

Government Accountability Office (GAO)
GAO 2012 Mobile Phone Report to the CongressGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) 2020 Report on 5G
Industry Influence
IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR)
Industry-funded Scientists Undermine Cell Phone Radiation Science
Government Failure to Address Wireless Radiation Risks Cell Phone Industry Product Liability Lawsuit

International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields
International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF)
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
ICNIRP's Exposure Guidelines for Radio Frequency Fields
Worldwide Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure Limits versus Health Effects

International EMF Scientist Appeal (https://emfscientist.org)International Scientist Appeal on Electromagnetic Fields & Wireless Technology
World Health Organization / International Agency for Research on CancerWHO Radiofrequency EMF Health Risk Assessment Monograph (EHC series) WHO Radiofrequency Radiation Policy International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) Position on Radiofrequency Radiation

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
31.3.2023 19:40

Wireless Radiation TV News


Which wireless radiation risks are covered most by TV news in the USA?

Since June, 2014, television stations in the U.S have aired more than 300 news stories about health risks from wireless radiation exposure. Almost half of the stories focus on radiation risks from cell phone use, including risks to children. About a third of the stories discussed cell tower radiation risks with two dozen stories focusing on cell towers (or Wi-Fi) on school campuses. Other technologies of concern include wireless smart meters and Wi-Fi-emitting devices.

Since January 2018, more than 100 news stories have reported on health concerns about the rollout of 5G, the fifth generation of cellular technology. Public concern about this issue has been covered by national network news and by local TV stations in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia.

CBS and its affiliates have provided the most news coverage about wireless radiation and health. Besides CBS national news coverage, almost all major CBS stations have run stories including stations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Des Moines, Detroit, Eugene, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (OR), Raleigh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Spartanburg (NC), Spokane, and Washington, DC.

CBS's 60 Minutes has won every broadcast journalism award. In June, 2017, the show aired a story on smartphone addiction,"Hooked on Your Phone?", and in December, 2018, a story on the adverse effects of digital device use on children, "Phones, Tablets, and their Impact on Kids' Brains." However, 60 Minutes has yet to examine the health risks from the wireless radiation produced by these devices. With the publication of Norm Alster's book,"Captured agency: How the Federal Communications Commission is dominated by the industries it presumably regulates," it is time for 60 Minutes to do an investigative story about why our government has not updated the obsolete wireless regulations that the FCC originally adopted in 1996 and reaffirmed in 2019 which fail to protect us from harmful levels of wireless radiation.

The above statistics are based upon Google searches for TV news stories about wireless radiation health risks where the video was posted online; thus, the overall amount of TV news coverage is under-estimated for this time period.

Links to TV new stories with online videos appear below.

Updated: March 31, 2023
CBS News
Wyandotte 5G antenna debacle continues, T-Mobile and 2018 board president speak at recent school board meeting
Terell Bailey, CBS Detroit (Detroit, MI), Mar 22, 2023

Wyandotte school adds 5G cellphone tower, congressional member gets involvedTerell Bailey, CBS Detroit (Detroit, Mi), Mar 9, 2023

Proposed Clay County cell towers spark dispute among neighborsMarleah Campbell, KCTV (Kansas City, MO), Jul 20, 2022

St Petersburg homeowners concerned about proposed 5G cell towerChris Rogers, WTSP (Tampa Bay, FL), Jul 6, 2022
Proposed cell towers face stiff opposition in some Vermont townsMelissa Cooney, WCAX (Burlington, VT), Mar 7, 2022
Have you seen these beige metal boxes being installed in your neighborhood?

Melissa Correa, KHOU (Houston, TX), Jan 26-27, 2021

West County residents push back against proposed 5G cell tower
Kim St. Onge, KMOV (St. Louis County, MO), Sep 11, 2020

Palo Alto Retirement Home Residents Fight To Remove 4G, 5G Cell Towers
Len Kiese, KPIX (CBS San Francisco), Sep 2, 2020

Oklahoma City Residents Concerned Over New 5G Towers
Karl Torp, KWTV (Oklahoma City, OK), Mar 3, 2020

Lakeside parents want cell tower removed
Kelly Hessedel, KFMB (San Diego, CA), Feb 18, 2020

Petition aims to block roll-out of 5G in Spartanburg
Henry Coburn, WSPA (Spartanburg, NC), Feb 4, 2020

Hinsdale Neighbors Fight Plans To Install 5G Cell Service, Citing Health Worries
Jermont Terry, CBS Chicago, Jan 13, 2020

5G is coming, and so is its RF radiation
Matt Gephardt, KUTV (Salt Lake City, UT), Dec 5, 2019

As cell phone carrier eyes Walnut Hills for 5G expansion, residents want more information
WKRC (Cincinnati, OH), Dec 3, 2019

Encinitas City Council votes on 5G cell towers
Richard Allyn, CBS San Diego, Oct 30, 2019
Concerned Residents Dispute A Cell Phone Tower That Could Be Built Near Canonsburg Schools Lisa Washington, CBS Pittsburgh, Oct 16, 2019

KCCI Investigates: Lawsuit filed over cellphone radiation
Alex Schuman, KCCI (Des Moines, IA), Sep 24, 2019
Encinitas residents rail against 5G cell towers
Richard Allyn, KFMB (San Diego, CA), Sep 23, 2019

Test finds iPhone 7 emitted twice the amount of radiation reported to regulators
CBS This Morning, Aug 22, 2019
Costa Mesa Residents Air Concerns Over 5G Towers
Stacey Butler, CBS Los Angeles, Aug 14, 2019
Protest held over 5G zoning ordinance in San Diego
Steve Fiorina, CBS San Diego, Aug 7, 2019

Boulder Holds Study Session On 5G Coverage For Concerned Residents
Tori Mason, CBS Denver, Jul 23, 2019
5G coming to Chico Hayley Watts, KVNV (Chico, CA), Jul 3, 2019

CBS13 Investigates: Could A New Cell Tower Hurt You Financially?
A new cell tower could put a local preschool out of business.
Julie Watts, CBS Sacramento, Jun 28, 2019
CBS San Francisco, Jul 6-7, 2019

Lake Forest residents voice concerns over 5G cell towers CBS Los Angeles, Jun 19, 2019

A look at the arrival of 5G, and just how dangerous it could be Angelina Dixson, KVAL (Eugene, OR), May 22, 2019
5G cell tower critics post 'health warning' signs
Lisa Balick, KOIN (Portland, OR), May 21, 2019

5G cell tower protest in Ashland
KTVL (Ashland, OR), May 15, 2019


Plan For 5G Cell Phone Towers Raises Health Concerns In Moraga Susie Steimle, CBS San Francisco, Apr 10, 2019
After several childhood cancer cases at one school, parents question radiation from cell tower CBS This Morning (CBS Network news), Apr 4, 2019
VERIFY: No, scientists didn't say AirPods cause cancer. But they do have questions.
Jason Puckett & David Tregde, WUSA (Washington, DC), Mar 20, 2019

Brain trauma suffered by U.S. diplomats abroad could be work of hostile foreign government
Scott Pelley, 60 Minutes (CBS Network news), Mar 17, 2019

Could Using Wireless Earbuds Be Putting You At Risk For Cancer?
Dr. Maria Simbra, CBS Pittsburgh, Mar 13, 2019

Experts: Wireless Headphones Like AirPods Could Pose Cancer Risk
KDFW (Dallas, TX), Mar 13, 2019

Recent Articles That Say AirPods Can Cause Cancer Are Not Quite Right
Tahesha Moise, WFMY (Greensboro, NC), Mar 13, 2019
Parents Blame Elementary School's Cell Tower After 4th Student Diagnosed With Cancer Jennifer McGraw, CBS Sacramento, Mar 13, 2019
Some Iowa residents push back against new smart meters
Hannah Hilyard, KCCI (Des Moines, IA), Dec 5, 2018
New study suggests that use of cell phones may affect memory in teenagers Rose Beltz, KREM (Spokane, WA), Jul 27, 2018

New 5G network with ubiquitous antennas raises health concerns among some
Steve Sbraccia, WNCN (Raleigh, NC), Jun 5, 2018

Wireless Worries: 5G service is coming – and so are health concerns over the towers that support it
Tony Dokoupil, CBS This Morning (national), May 29, 2018


5G wireless service Is coming, and so are health concerns over the towers that support It
CBS New York, May 29, 2018

5G Service Is Coming – And So Are Health Concerns Over The Towers That Support It
CBS Boston, May 29, 2018

Questions Raised About 5G Health Risks Months Before Sacramento Launches Service
CBS Sacramento, May 29, 2018

Radiation Concerns Being Raised Over New 5G Wireless Service
CBS Philadelphia, May 29, 2018

Can Cellphones Cause Cancer? Experts Surprised By Latest Tests CBS Pittsburgh, Mar 29, 2018
Ashland residents protesting 5G tower installation Richie Garza, KTVL (Medford, OR), May 25, 2018
Findings of cancer in rodents exposed to cell-phone-like radiation draws crowd to RTP Robert Richardson, WNCN (Raleigh, NC), Mar 28, 2018

I-Team Report: Cell Phone Dangers
Colette Boyd, WNEW (Saginaw, MI), Feb 14, 2018

Do Cellphones Cause Cancer?
Heather Brown, CBS Minnesota, Feb 8, 2018

This Cell Phone Radiation Study Found More Questions Than Answers
CBS Miami, Feb 7, 2018

Cellphone Radiation Linked To Tumors In Male Rats, Government Study Says
Andrea Borba, CBS San Francisco, Feb 2, 2018

ConsumerWatch: 5G Cellphone Towers Signal Renewed Concerns over Impacts on Health
Julie Watts and Abigail Sterling, CBS San Francisco, Jan 25, 2018

California to set guidelines for limiting cellphone radiation exposure
CBS Evening News (network), Dec 15, 2017
California health officials release guidelines on cellphone radiation
Susie Steimle, CBS San Francisco, Dec 14, 2017
CBS (network) News. Dec 14, 2017
CBS Los Angeles, Dec 14, 2017

California Public Health Officials Issue Cellphone Radiation Warning CBS Sacramento, Dec 13, 2017
When Kids Get Their First Cell Phones Around The World
CNN, CBS San Francisco, Dec 11, 2017

East Bay Homeowners Challenge Proposed Cellphone Towers
Emily Turner, CBS San Francisco, Nov 15, 2017
Cellphone EMF-Blocking Products Put In A Real World Test
Julie Watts, CBS San Francisco, Nov 14, 2017
Long Islanders Sue Over Health Concerns About New Cellphone Towers
Jennifer McLogan, CBS New York, Oct 19, 2017
Cities, Counties Line Up Against Bill Removing Limits On Cell Transmitters Lemor Abrams, CBS Sacramento, Jul 12, 2017
Plan To Install 50,000 Cell Towers In California Faces Opposition
Phil Matier, CBS San Francisco, June 28, 2017
Woodbury, L.I. Residents Furious Over Cellphone Repeaters On Their Block
Carolyn Gusoff, CBS New York, May 11, 2017

Cell towers could be built at dozens of Prince George's Co. schools
Scott Broom, WUSA (Washington, DC), May 11, 2017

Draft Fact Sheet From California Health Officials Links Cellphone Use, Cancer Risk
CBS Los Angeles, Mar 3, 2017

Consumer Watch: State Continues To Refuse To Release Records On Cell Phone Radiation
Julie Watts, CBS San Francisco, Feb 26, 2017

Judge Orders California To Release Papers Discussing Risk Of Cell Phone Use
Julie Watts, CBS San Francisco, Feb 24, 2017


Cell phone explosion caught on camera
WGCL (Atlanta, GA), Jan 12, 2017

San Francisco Cellphone Service Shockingly Bad For Global Tech Capitol
Susie Steimle, CBS San Francisco, Jan 3, 2017
Parents upset over proposed cell tower
WUSA (Washington, DC), Sep 28, 2016

Berkeley's Cellphone Radiation Warning Law Disputed Before Appeals Court
CBS SF Bay Area, Sep 13, 2016
Apple Unveils iPhone 7 Without Headphone Jack Julie Watts, CBS San Francisco, Sep 7, 2016

Man Chains Electric Meter To Prevent Utility From Installing Smart Meter Jon Delano, CBS Pittsburgh, Sep 1, 2016
Mt. Tabor neighbors fight plans for cell towers
Chris Holmstrom, KOIN (Portland, OR), Aug 31, 2016

Addressing health concerns of new KUB smart meters
Heather Burian, WVLT (Knoxville, TN), May 31, 2016


Study reignites concern about cell phones and cancer
Paula Cohen, CBS News, May 27, 2016

WiFi in schools: Is it hurting your child?
Paul Joncich, KLAS (Las Vegas, NV), May 10, 2016

New Research Links Cell Phones To Health Issues In Children
Ami Yensi, CBS Baltimore, May 3, 2016

Cell tower proposed behind middle school causing controversy
WDRW (Columbia County, GA), May 3, 2016

Protester Claims Vice President Biden's Son Died from Cell Phone-Related Brain Cancer
CBS SF Bay Area, Feb 28, 2016

Could Your Cell Phone Be Harming You?
Tess Leonhardt, WDTV (Bridgeport, WV), Feb 21, 2016

Notre Dame researchers target cell phone radiation
Zach Crenshaw, WSBT (Mishiwaka, IN), Jan 27, 2016

Bay Area Residents Worried About Radiation Face Uphill Battle Fighting Cell Towers
Julie Watts, CBS San Francisco, Jan 12, 2016

Scientists: Effects of cell phone radiation on kids is cause for concern
Ashley Daley, Live 5 News (Charleston, SC), Nov 6, 2015

SF Residents Battle Wireless Firms Over Super Bowl Building Boom In Neighborhood Cell Antenna Systems
Julie Watts, CBS San Francisco, Oct 31, 2015

Montgomery County parents concerned about wireless routers in schools
Mola Lenghi, WUSA9 (Maryland), Oct 20, 2015

Will Berkeley Cell Phone Ordinance Harm Consumers?
CBS This Morning, Jul 27, 2015

Retired Electronics Professor Wants To Create Wi-Fi Free Refuge
Mark Ackerman, CBS Denver, Jul 9, 2015

Are Wi-Fi Signals Making You Sick?
Marissa Bailey, CBS Chicago, July 1, 2015

People Believe Wi-Fi Is Making Them Sick
Dr. Mallika Marshall, CBS Boston, Jun 8, 2015

Seen At 11: Is Wi-Fi Making You Sick?
CBS New York, May 20, 2015

Why I Declared Our Bedroom A Wireless-Free Zone
Julie Watts, CBS SF Bay Area, May 20, 2015

Special Report: Upgrade Outage
WMMT (Kalamazoo, MI), May 19, 2015

Berkeley Passes Nation's First Radiation Warning For New Cellphones
CBS SF Bay Area, May 13, 2015
Berkeley, California, to require cellphone health warnings
CBS News, May 13, 2015

Cellphone safety: Where do you keep your phone? (web article) Elizabeth Hinson, CBS National, May 12, 2015 (last updated May 14, 2015)
KMOV (St. Louis, MO)
KPAX (Missoula, MT)
WCTV (Tallahassee, FL)
WDTV (Weston, West Virginia)
WFMY (Greensboro, NC)
WIVB (Buffalo, NY)
WKBN (Youngstown, OH)
WREQ (Memphis,TN)
WTSP (Tampa Bay, FL)

Can you get radiation poisoning from your cellphone?
CBS News, May 12, 2015

Woman Cuts Family Off From WiFi Over Health Concerns
Gerri Constant, CBS Los Angeles, May 5, 2015


LA County Firefighters Address Lawmakers Over Cell Tower Concerns
CBS Los Angeles, Mar 24, 2015

Local parents concerned about WiFi radiation

Andrea McCarren, WUSA (Washington, DC), Mar 7, 2015

Planned Smart Electric Meters On Long Island Draw Fears About Privacy, Radiation
CBS New York, Mar 6, 2015

Woman believes cell phone radiation nearly killed her husband Samantha Cortese, KESQ (Palm Desert, CA), Feb 18, 2015 (also ABC affiliate)

In-depth investigation: Examining reports of a cancer cluster at La Quinta Middle School
Natalie Brunnell, KESQ (Palm Desert, CA), Feb 12, 2015 (also ABC affiliate)

Failure to follow cellular antenna regulations raises safety issues
CBS Atlanta, Nov 17, 2014 (updated Feb 10, 2015)

Some residents worried about health effects of smart meters
WMMT (Kalamazoo, MI), Dec 3, 2014

New smart meters installed in Spokane raise questions

KREM (Spokane, WA), Dec 2, 2014
CPS Energy's smart meters show random spikes in radiation output
KENS (San Antonio, TX), Nov 18, 2015

Cell phone towers raise new concerns about safety
Jason Barry, KPHO (Phoenix), Nov 10, 2015 (updated Nov. 25)

FPL, Foes Of Smart Meters Square Off
CBS Miami, Sep 30, 2014

Are Cell Phones Really Giving Us Cancer? CBS Pittsburgh, Sep 15, 2014

Brain Cancer Warning Stickers Proposed For Cellphones Sold In Berkeley
CBS SF Bay Area, Aug 22, 2014



NBC News
Concerned parents look for answers on impact of 5G cell tower at Wyandotte elementary school
Jacqueline Francis, Brandon Carr, WDIV (Detroit, MI), Mar 31, 2023
Parents voice concerns about activation of 5G cell tower on top of elementary school in WyandotteVictor Williams, Brandon Carr, WDIV (Detroit, MI), Mar 14, 2023
5G Towers Suddenly Showed Up Across NYC — Here's Why Some Neighborhoods Want Them GoneGus Rosendale, NBC New York, Nov 8, 2022
Proposed AT&T cell tower causes concern among neighbors in Kansas CityEmma James, KSHB (Kansas City, MO), Jul 19, 2022

New 5G cell phone tower in neighborhood has residents concerned about possible health impactsSeth Kovar, KRIS (Corpus Christi, TX), Mar 8, 2022

Potential new cell tower worries Topeka neighborsMatthew Johnstone, KSNT (Topeka, KS), Feb 14, 2022

Fact Check: Smart MetersNikki Rudd, WHEC (Rochester, NY), Jul 1, 2021
5G rollout in Tucson met with oppositionChorus Nylander, KVOA (Tucson, AZ), Jun 14, 2021
5G towers popping up across Tucson, City sends letter to State lawmakersChorus Nylander, KVOA (Tucson, AZ), Feb 23, 2021

City of Tucson & residents have zero control over cell pole placement
Allie Potter, KVOA (Tucson, AZ), Sep 2, 2020
Group bands together against 5G technology
Lacey Lett, KFOR (Oklahoma City, OK), Mar 3, 2020

Parents Protest Cell Tower Across Street from Elementary School
Niala Charles, KNSD (San Diego, CA), Feb 28, 2020

5G Generation: Is Connecticut Ready for The New Technology?
Len Besthoff, WVIT (West Hartford, CT), Feb 21, 2020

Florida group wants restrictions on where 5G units are placed
Alexander Osiadacz, WTLV-WJXX (NBC & ABC) (Jacksonville, FL), Feb 20, 2020

New push for Germantown cell tower raises new concerns
Kelli Cook, WMC (Memphis, TN), Jan 22, 2020

Parents Want Cellphone Tower Taken Off Church Steeple in San Jose
Damian Trujillo, NBC Bay Area, Jan 17, 2020

Northwest neighborhood concerned about possible Verizon 5G tower
Amanda Henderson, WOAI (San Antonio, TX), Jan 15, 2020

Parents, neighbors concerned over possible cell tower in NE Bend
Max Goldwasser, KTVZ (Bend, OR), Jan 6, 2020

Concerns over 5G tech in Jacksonville as City approves new regulations
Alexander Osiadacz, WJXX and WTLV (Jacksonville, FL), Dec 11, 2019 (also ABC)
Parents furious over plans to build 5G cell antenna just feet away from elementary school
WXPI (Pittsburgh, PA), Oct 23, 2019
Elk Meadow parents press councilors over cell tower
Jacob Larsen, KTVZ (Bend, OR), Oct 3, 2019

5G Whiz
Staff, Full Measure (NBC Network), Sep 15, 2019

Chicago Tribune: FCC investigating phone radiation findings
Ali Velshi, MSNBC, Aug 23, 2019 (interview w/ Sam Roe)

Neighbors fight losing battle against 5G tower right next to Denver home
Nelson Garcia, KUSA (Denver, CO), Aug 9, 2019
Concern grows over electromagnetic frequency radiation as cell phones turn to 5G Annaliese Garcia, WBBH (Fort Myers, FL), Aug 6, 2019
Cell tower causes some concern for Catalina residents
Eric Fink, KVOA (Tucson, AZ), Jun 6, 2019

Germantown withdraws plan for cell phone tower near elementary school
WMC (Memphis, TN), Jun 5, 2019

Cell phone radiation: Just how dangerous is it for you?
Angelina Dixson, KMTR (Eugene, OR), May 22, 2019

Locals plan rally against 5G rollout
KOBI (Medford, OR), May 15, 2019

Is 5G technology safe? The debate intensifies
Jennifer Lewke, WHEC (Rochester, NY), May 2, 2019

VERIFY: Does 5G cause health problems?
Gordon Severson, KARE (Minneapolis, MN), Apr 22, 2019

5G fears: Homeowners worry about mini towers in street
John Matarese, WTMJ (Milwaukee, WI), Feb 8, 2019

Testicular cancer: Why it's difficult to talk about, and why it's rising
Chris Hrapsky, KARE (Minneapolis, MN), Nov 21, 2018

People concerned about 5G as FCC approves installation
Allie Potter, KVOA (Tucson, AZ), Nov 16, 2018
Poor cell phone reception could increase your radiation exposure by 10,000x Bob Segall, WTHR (Indianapolis, IN), Oct 5, 2018
Protecting yourself from cellular radiation
Denelle Confair, KVOA (Tucson, AZ), Sep 23, 2018

Protestors rally against Pacific Power's smart meters
Rayvan Vares, KOBI (Medford, OR), Sep 22, 2018

Not in my backyard: Are cell towers coming to your neighborhood?
Nate Morabito, WCNC (Charlotte, NC), Jul 27, 2018

Pacific Power Installing Smart Meters in Jackson County
Elizabeth Ruiz, KOBI (Medford, OR), Jul 2, 2018

Palo Alto City Leaders Approve Verizon Cell Towers
Ian Cull, NBC Bay Area, May 22, 2018

Construction halted on cell tower near elementary school playground
Laura Wilson, KOAA (Colorado Springs, CO), Apr 25, 2018

City Council denies cell phone tower being built on church property
Natassia Paloma, KTSM (El Paso, TX), Apr 17, 2018

New Study Links Cancer to Cell Phone Use
Bianca Castro, KXAS (Dallas, TX), Mar 28, 2018
KOBF (Albuquerque, NM), Apr 3, 2018
WCMH (Columbus, OH), Apr 3, 2018
WBBH (Fort Myers, FL), Apr 3, 2018
WTHR (Indianapolis, IN), Apr 3, 2018
KPRC (Houston, TX), Apr 4, 2018

Verify: Are electromagnetic fields harmful to your health?
Tami Tremblay, KTVB (Boise, ID), Feb 8, 2018

New study reigniting cell phone, cancer debate
Rob Hughes, WCNC (Charlotte, NC), Feb 6, 2018


Study of rats reveals cellphone radiation risk is low
Erika Edwards, NBC Connecticut (West Hartford, CT), Feb 5, 2018
NBC Southern California, Feb 5, 2018

Aiken County Planning Commission recommends denying request for new cell phone tower
Ben Billmyer & Lia Fernandez, WRDW (Aiken County, SC), Jan 18, 2018


New guidance issued for avoiding cell phone radiation
Bob Segall, WTHR (Indianapolis, IN), Dec 26, 2017

How worried do we need to be about cell phone radiation?
Sean Franklin, WBIR (Knoxville, TN), Dec 22, 2017

Health officials release guidelines on dangerous cellphone radiation
Madeline Cuddihy, WXIA (Atlanta, GA), Dec 19, 2017

Debate over Cell Towers in Hillsborough
NBC Bay Area, Dec 18, 2017

Proposed bill would cover potential injuries from microwaves, cellphones
Elisha Machado, WWLP (Springfield, MA), Nov 28, 2017

New cellphone tower has some residents concerned
Kaylie Spotts, WNWO (Whitehouse, OH), Sep 4, 2017

Controversial T-Mobile cell phone tower back on Roswell's agenda
Christopher Hopper, WXIA (Atlanta, GA), Jul 11, 2017

Texas teen electrocuted after cell phone incident in bathtub
Presley Fowler, KCBD (Lubbock, Tx), Jul 11, 2017

2 students get cancer; Ripon parents want cell towers removed from schools
Natalie Brunell, KCRA (Sacramento, CA), Jun 20, 2017

Government Study Links Cellphone Radiation to Cancer
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, May 27, 2017

Greenbelt Residents Worried About Health Effects of Cellphone Tower
Darcy Spencer, NBC Washington (DC), Apr 25, 2017

Cellphone safety tips to limit radiation exposure
Natalie Brunell, KCRA (Sacramento, CA), Apr 9, 2017

Sign puts Berkeley in center of cellphone debate
Natalie Brunell, KCRA (Sacramento, CA), Apr 9, 2017

How to reduce electromagnetic fields created by electricity
Meredyth Censullo, KFLA (Tampa, FL), Mar 31, 2017

Cell Phone Cancer Debate Heats up With Document Release
Scott Budman, NBC Bay Area, Mar 3, 2017

NBC Southern California, Mar 3, 2017
State health officials accused of keeping cell phone dangers secret
Vicki Gonzalez, KCRA (NBC Sacramento), Mar 3, 2017

Cell phones safe? Flap in California revives debate Jeff Gillan, KSNV (NBC Las Vegas), Mar 3, 2017
Researchers: Long-term cell phone use may increase your risk for a brain tumor
Bob Segall, WTHR (Indianapolis, IN), Feb 21, 2017


Special Report: The Facts about Smart Meters
Joy Wang, WILX (Lansing, MI), Feb 12, 2017

Board denies proposed Greendale cell tower
Rebecca Klopf, WTMJ (Milwaukee, WI), Feb 7, 2017

Radiation-blocking underwear and five other crazy CES gadgets
Matt Granite, WGRZ (Buffalo, NY), Jan 7, 2016
Rat Study Launches New Debate over Cell Phone Radiation and Cancer
Rachel Polansky, WBBH (Fort Myers, FL), Dec 19, 2016

13 Investigates cellphones and cancer: Is the risk real?
Bob Segall, WTHR (Indianapolis, IN), Nov 14, 2016

Are Kids at Risk? Scores of Chicago-Area Schools Allow Cell Towers on their Buildings, Grounds
Phil Rogers, Katy Smyser, NBC Chicago, Oct 3, 2016

Parents Fight Plans for Cell Tower at Virginia Elementary School
David Culver, NBC Washington (DC), Sep 21, 2016

Berkeley Cellphone Ordinance Challenged in Appeals Court
Mark Matthews & Stephen Ellison, NBC Bay Area (San Jose, CA), Sep 13, 2016
Montgomery County Residents Shocked by Proposal to Build Cell Towers in Front of Homes Jackie Bensen, NBC Washington (DC), Sep 2, 2016

Government study links cell phone radiation to cancer
Maggie Fox, NBC News, May 27, 2016

Piper Glenn residents cite eagles in cell tower fight
Bill McGinty, WCNC (Charlotte, NC), Apr 7, 2016

Berkeley's 'Right to Know' Cell Phone Radiation Warning Ordinance Now in Effect
Jean Elle, NBC Bay Area (San Jose, CA), Mar 21, 2016

BGE makes case for another rate hike
George Lettis, WBAL (Baltimore, MD), Mar 18, 2016

North Kingstown teacher says she's being fired because she believes WiFi is health hazard
Brian Crandall, WJAR (Providence, RI), Feb 23, 2016

Kids Face Potential Radiation Danger Using Cell Phones
Shanay Campbell, WSAV (Savannah, GA), Nov 6, 2015

Scientists: Effects of cell phone radiation on kids is cause for concern
Ashley Daley, WMBF (Myrtle Beach, SC), Nov 6, 2015

Pediatricians express concern over growing cellphone use, radiation exposure for children
Meghan McRoberts, WPTV (West Palm Beach, FL), Nov 6, 2015

Potential radiation danger to kids using cell phones

Shannon Wolfson, KXAN (Austin, TX), Nov 5, 2015

Pediatricians' new warning: Limit children's exposure to cellphones
Danielle Dellorto, NBC Today Show, Nov 5, 2015


Report Examines Cell Phone Radiation
Jean Elle, NBC Bay Area, Sep 24, 2015

Group wants cell towers gone
Barry Sims, WBAL (Anne Arundel County, MD), Sep 22, 2015

Neighborhood fights possible new cell tower on church property
Forrest Sanders, WSMV (Nashville, TN), Jul 30, 2015

Residents protest cell tower installation citing health concerns
Sophia Kunthara and Melissa Etezadi, NBC Southern California, Jul 20, 2015


Wireless companies sue Berkeley over cellphone radiation warning ordinance
Tamara Palmer, NBC Bay Area (San Jose, CA), Jun 8, 2015

Berkeley approves "Right to Know" cell phone radiation warning ordinance
Jean Elle, NBC Bay Area
(San Jose, CA), May 12, 2015

West Seattle residents protest new cell phone antennas
Alex Rozier, KING (Seattle, WA), May 7, 2015

Bay Area documentary "Mobilize" examines cell phone dangers
Jean Elle, NBC Bay Area
(San Jose, CA), Mar 28, 2015


ABC News
Is the cellphone tower on top of a Wyandotte school harmful? Here's what an expert saysKim Russell, WXYZ (Detroit, MI), Mar 29, 2023

T-Mobile addresses concerned parents about the cell tower in WyandottePeter Maxwell, WXYZ (Detroit, MI), Mar 22, 2023
Wyandotte superintendent: It would cost 'millions' to break cell tower contract
WXYZ (Detroit, MI), Mar 21, 2023
Wyandotte parents sound off over 5G cell tower at elementary schoolBrett Kast, WXYZ (Detroit, MI), Mar 14, 2023
Cellphone tower being built on elementary school roof concerns parents in Wyandotte
Kim Russell, WXYZ (Detroit, MI), Mar 1, 2023
Englewood neighborhood outraged by city's plan to build 5G tower in front of home
Bayan Wang, KCDO (Denver, CO), Jul 7, 2022
Neighbors concerned about 5G cell tower in GilbertAshley Paradez, KNXT (Phoenix, Az), Aug 11, 2021
Verizon cell tower in limbo after Madison County board takes no action
Caitlyn Penter, WLOS (Asheville, NC), June 7, 2021


Houston homeowners upset over not being notified of 5G box placement
Nick Natario, KTRK (Houston, TX), Jan 27, 2021

More 5G woes: Poles installed feet away from Pensacola resident's front door
Rebekah Castor, WEAR (Pensacola, FL), Jan 21, 2021
Residents outraged as more 5G antennas are approved in Pensacola
Rebekah Castor, WEAR (Pensacola, FL), May 10, 2020

5G technology brings potential and tension
Kylie McGivern, WFTS (Tampa Bay, FL), Mar 30, 2020

Cell tower near elementary school sparks concern
Lindsay Pena, Zac Self, KGTV (San Diego, CA), Feb 27, 2020

Concerns over health lead to cellphone tower protest in Camas
Joe English, KATU (Portland, OR), Feb 5, 2020

Concerns over 5G tech in Jacksonville as City approves new regulations Alexander Osiadacz, WJXX and WTLV (Jacksonville, FL), Dec 11, 2019 (also NBC)

Montgomery Co. considers 5G, but health concerns have residents protesting
Jay Korff, WJLA (Washington, DC), Nov 19, 2019

Carmel homeowners raise concerns over 5G small cell towers
Kara Kenney, WRTV (Indianapolis, IN), Oct 4, 2019

Can 5G cell phone antennas impact your pacemaker?
Jennifer Munoz, WEAR (Pensacola, FL), Sep 27, 2019

Small Cell tower and 5G concerns and benefits
Andrew Donley, WBMA (Birmingham, AL), Sep 23, 2019

Mystery towers going up all over Cincinnati area: Homeowners worry about possible health effects
John Matarese, WCPO (Cincinnati, OH), Sep 20, 2019

5G could come with health risks, critics say
Sharyl Attkisson, WBFF (Baltimore, MD), Sep 15, 2019

Concern, opposition grows to 5G in Colorado Springs
Scott Harrison, KRDO (Colorado Springs, CO), Aug 28, 2019

Los Altos man leads effort to keep AT&T wireless nodes away from daughter's bedroom, neighborhood
Amanda del Castillo, KGO (San Francisco, CA), Jul 11, 2019
Protesters in WDSM for new Verizon 5G installations Adam Cron, KCWI (Des Moines, IA), Jun 14, 2019
Denver Public Schools faces backlash from parents about placement of cell towers on schools
Russell Haythorn, KMGH (Denver, CO), Jun 7, 2019


West Boca tower proposal meets resistance at zoning meeting
Ron Burke, WPBF (Boca Raton, FL), Jun 7, 2019


Albany residents debate safety of 5G
WNYT (Albany, NY), May 17, 2019

Protesters rally against 5G in San Diego
KGTV (San Diego, CA), May 15, 2019

Local group rallies in Asheville as part of national protest over 5G technology
WLOS (Asheville, NC), May 15, 2019

Group rallies against 5G roll out
KDRV (Medford, OR), May 15, 2019


'On Your Side' West Jacksonville community opposed to cell phone tower
Kenneth Amaro, WTLV (Jacksonville, FL), Mar 29, 2019
5G speeds: National City seeks public input for Small Cells Installation
Rina Nakano, KGTV (San Diego, CA), Mar 12, 2019
5G wireless technology comes with big promises, but city of Portland has big concerns
Keaton Thomas, KATU (Portland, OR), Mar 11, 2019

5G fears: Homeowners worry about mini towers in street
John Matarese, WCPO (Cincinnati, OH), Feb 8, 2019
Local group protests 5G cell tower in Eugene
Madison Glassman, KEZI (Eugene, OR), Jan 26, 2019

5G Fight: Greendale residents don't want cell towers in their yards
Caroline Reinwald, WISN (Milwaukee, WI), Jan 4, 2019
Some Duke Energy customers claim smart meters are making them sick
Tonya Simpson & Diane Wilson, WTVD (Raleigh, NC), Oct 1, 2018
The health effects with 'smart' utility meters
Jennifer Emert, WLOS (Asheville, NC), Sep 27, 2018
Smart meter workshop met with protesters
KDRV (Medford, OR), Sep 22, 2018

Some San Mateo residents upset over planned installation of Verizon antennas on utility poles
Vic Lee, KGO (San Mateo, CA), Sep 20, 2018
Concerned Talent citizens say new smart meters are unhealthy KDRV (Medford, OR), May 31, 2018

Verify: Do diode stickers protect you from cellphone radiation?
WVEC (Norfolk, VA), Apr 18, 2018

Are mini-cell phone towers a health risk in your neighborhood?
WJLA (Washington, DC), Apr 6, 2018
New study on link between cancer and cell phones Tiffany Neely, KAIT (Jonesboro, AR), Apr 3, 2018
Does cell phone radiation cause cancer? Scientists gather at RTP to discuss
WTVD (Raleigh, NC), Mar 28, 2018

The potential health risks of cell phones, explained
Sam Benson Smith & Zak Dalheimer, KESQ (Thousand Palms, CA), Feb 15, 2018

New warning links cell phones to health risks
Good Morning America / ABC Network News, Dec 18, 2017

Ask Dr. Nandi: California sets guidelines to limit cell phone radiation exposure
WXYZ-TV (Detroit, MI), Dec 18, 2017

Hillsborough homeowners fight proposed cell towers
Katie Marzullo, KGO (San Francisco, CA), Dec 9, 2017

Can mobile phone use lead to health problems?
Abigail Elise, WISN (Milwaukee, WI), May 14, 2017

Long Island Residents Outraged by Cellphone Towers in Front of Homes
N.J. Burkett, WABC (New York, NY), May 11, 2017

Cell phones and cancer, is there a connection?
Kerri O'Brien, WRIC (Richmond, VA), Mar 20, 2017

CA Health Dept. Releases Report Saying Cellphone Use May Cause Cancer
Lyanne Melendez, KGO (San Franciscom CA), Mar 3, 2017


Parents fight plan to put cell tower near playground at Virginia elementary school
Richard Reeve, Jay Goldberg, WJLA (Washington, DC), Sep 28, 2016

San Jose residents fight cellphone tower proposal over radiation concerns
Lisa Amin Gulezian, KGO (San Francisco, CA), Aug 13, 2016

Alpine residents outraged over EMF levels from Sunrise Powerlink
Ariel Wesler, KGTV (San Diego, CA), Feb 24, 2016


Notre Dame researchers making a faster and safer phone
Brandon Pope, WBND (South Bend, IN), Feb 5, 2016

New concerns over kids and electronics
Shannon Murray, KVUE (Austin, TX), Dec 3, 2015

Parents upset over cell tower possibly being installed near Weho school
Mayde Gomez, KABC (Los Angeles, CA), Dec 1, 2015

City leaders, neighbors raise concerns about cell towers
Kayla Moody, WHAS (Louisville, KY), Oct 28, 2015

Cell phone industry sues city of Berkeley
Lyanne Melendez, KGO (San Francisco, CA), Aug 20, 2015

Alki Beach residents protest plan for cell antennas near school
Theron Zahn, KOMO (Seattle, WA), May 7, 2015

Lake Ronkonkomo residents speak out against proposed cell tower in neighborhood
Kristin Thorne, WABC (New York, NY), Apr 29, 2015

Workers say cell tower sites putting them at risk
Cristin Severance, KGTV (San Diego, CA), Mar 19, 2015 (updated Mar 24, 2015)

Ann Arbor family has power shut off by DTE in dispute over installing new SMART meter on their home
Dave LewAllen, WXYZ (Detroit, MI), Mar 18, 2015

Smart meters' slammed at House committee hearing WZZM (Lansing, MI), Dec 2, 2014

Man claims OUC's smart meter made him sick, files federal lawsuit WFTV (Orlando, FL), Dec 2, 2014

Alamo Heights residents voice concerns over smart readers KSAT (San Antonio), Sep 22, 2014 (updated Sep 23, 2014

3 Reasons Not to Sleep With Your Phone in the Bed
Camille Chatterjee, ABC News, Aug 5, 2014

City pushes for cancer warning stickers on cell phones
WCVB (Boston), Jul 15, 2014

Berkeley City Council proposes ordinance to get warning labels on cellphones
Tiffany Wilson, KGO (San Francisco), Jul 15, 2014


Fox News

Residents protest cell towers in Montgomery CountySierra Fox, Fox 5 DC (Washington, DC), Oct 11, 2022
Cell phones and cancer: New UC Berkeley study suggests cell phones sharply increase tumor risk
Marla Tellez, KTTV (Los Angeles, CA), July 7, 2021
Hold your cell phone away from your body: Research links cell phones to tumors
André Senior, KTVU (Oakland, CA), July 8, 2021


San Jose neighbors oppose 5G cell equipment installed feet from homes
Brooks Jarosz, KTVU (Oakland, CA), Apr 21, 2021

Hoosiers fight against 5G towers near homesKayla Sullivan, WXIN (Indianapolis, IN), Dec 28, 2020
5G internet antennas being installed in East GR, not everyone happy about it
Michael Martin, WXMI (East Grand Rapids, MI), Aug 31, 2020

Edmond group to voice concerns about 5G towers
KOKH (Oklahoma City, OK), Feb 25, 2020

Group plans to share 5G tower concerns with Edmond city council
William Maetzold, KOKH (Oklahoma City, OK), Feb 19, 2020

Tech companies begin installing 5G poles in New Orleans
Rilwan Balogun, WVUE (New Orleans, LA), Jan 23, 2020

Parents concerned over potential cell tower at local elementary
Jeremy Pierre, WHBQ (Memphis, TN), Jan 14, 2020

Verizon launches 5G service in Boston, but what are the potential drawbacks?
Jim Morelli, WFXT (Boston, MA), Nov 19, 2019

La Mesa residents raise concerns over 5G towers
Justina Myers, KFWB (San Diego, CA), Oct 22, 2019

5G warning posters placed around Downtown Orlando
Matthew Trezza, WOFL (Orlando, FL), Jun 14, 2019

San Francisco is resisting 5G, calling it 'ugly' and 'dangerous'
Brooke Crothers, Fox News network, Jun 1, 2019

Locals plan rally against 5G rollout
KMVU (Medford, OR), May 15, 2019

Parents upset about possible cell tower near Germantown elementary school
Jacque Masse, WHBQ (Memphis, TN), Mar 18, 2019


Are Apple AirPods putting you at risk for cancer?
Dr. Marc Siegel, Tucker Carlson Tonight / Fox News Network, Mar 13, 2019
STL Moms: Kids cellphone safety KTVI, (St. Louis, Mo), Mar 8, 2019

Town of Union Residents "Devastated" Over Possibility of Cell Tower in Neighborhood
Amanda Pitts, WICZ (Binghamton, NY), Jun 4, 2018

Parents worry cellphone tower could expose children to radiation
Keagan Harsha, KDVR (Denver, CO), Apr 23, 2018


Montgomery County residents fighting rezoning to allow new 5G cell towers
WTTG (Washington, D.C.), April 4, 2018

Could your cell phone be endangering your health?
Jeff Abell, WBFF (Baltimore, MD), Feb 20, 2018

Opposition to cell towers in Hillsborough
Tom Vacar, KTVU (Oakland, CA), Dec 19, 2017

Health officials warn sleeping near cell phone could cause cancer and infertility
Darren Sweeney, WJW (Cleveland, OH), Dec 18, 2017
Family chooses to live with no power rather than a DTE Smart Meter
Hilary Golston, WJBK (Detroit, MI), Nov 9, 2017

Ashland residents meet to discuss potential health risks of wireless radiation
Ted Daniel, WFXT (Boston, MA), Jun 20, 2017

Parents of Cancer Survivors Still Waiting for School District's Response Regarding Cell Phone Tower
Eric Rucker, KTXL (Sacramento, CA), Jun 19, 2017

After 2 Ripon Children Diagnosed with Cancer, Kids and Parents Protest Cell Tower on School Grounds
Kay Recede, KTXL (Sacramento, CA), May 31, 2017
More than 400 MTEMC customers reject company's request to install smart meters
Jeremy Finley, WBRC (Birmingham, AL), May 23, 2016

Controversy surrounding EMF exposure: Do wireless devices pose dangers?
Danielle Miller, KSAZ (Phoenix, AZ), Feb 22, 2016

Cell phones and fertility
Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil, WNYW (New York City, NY), Feb 21, 2016

Health concerns over Wi-Fi technology exposures in schools
Laura Evans, WTTG (Washington, DC), Feb 15, 2016

Cell Phone Dangers?
Stacey Delikat, WNYW (New York City, NY), Jan 16, 2016

High Point neighbors speak out against cell tower project
Jasmine Spencer, WGHP (High Point, NC), Dec 8, 2015

More than 400 MTEMC customers reject company's request to install smart meters
Jeremy Finley, WBRC (Franklin, TN), Nov 23, 2015

Pediatricians express concern over growing cellphone use, radiation exposure for children
WFLX (West Palm Beach, FL), Nov 6, 2015

Scientists: Effects of cell phone radiation on kids is cause for concern
Ashley Daley, Fox Carolina News (Greenville, SC), Nov 6, 2015
Mount Tabor neighbors fight cell phone tower proposal
KPTV (Beaverton, OR), Jun 4, 2015 (updated Jul 2, 2015)

Berkeley passes cell phone safety ordinance
Amber Lee, KTVU (Oakland, CA), May 12, 2015

How to spot potential radiation hiding in your home

Fox News (national), Feb 1, 2015

Experts: Why wearable tech could pose health risks
Brooke Crothers, Fox News (national), Oct 20, 2014


CNN

Cell phone radiation study finds more questions than answers
Jacqueline Howard, CNN, Feb 7, 2018
Electrosensitivity, Vital Signs with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Oct 24, 2017 (also CNN International)
Part 1: Welcome to the National Quiet Zone Part 2: Wireless Exposure Part 3: Living in the National Quiet Zone
Cell phone radiation increases cancers in rats, but should we worry? Carina Storrs, CNN, May 27, 2016

Half of teens think they're addicted to their smartphones Kelly Wallace, CNN, May 3, 2016


Other TV News


Carmel (NJ) residents win legal battle against cellphone tower constructionStaff, News 12 (Edison, NJ), Jul 25, 2022
5G Battle: midtown residents host block parties, rallies and bake sales to stop towers from going upHanna Tiede, KOLD (Tucson, AZ), Jun 21, 2021
Neighborhood residents say Pittsfield cell tower causing health concernsMatt Ristaino, Spectrum News 1 (Worcester, MA), May 13, 2021
Neighborhood residents say Pittsfield cell tower causing health concernsNeighborhood residents say Pittsfield cell tower causing health concernsNeighborhood residents say Pittsfield cell tower causing health concernsCouple fights to prevent installation of cell tower outside their Long Beach homeKacey Montoya, KTLA (Los Angeles, CA), May 8, 2021

North Shore residents raise concerns about proposed military missile radar Nicky Schenfeld, KHON (Kahuku, HI), Apr 10, 2021
Some residents of Jacksonville townhomes concerned over 5G towerCorley Peel, WJXT (Jacksonville, FL), Jan 21, 2021
Mahopac residents concerned with proposed cellphone tower project
News 12 (Westchester, NY), Aug 12, 2020

White Plains residents make petition against 5G antennas near homes, schools
News 12 (Westchester, NY), Jul 19, 2020

Activists protest against 5G towers
WDVM (Hagerstown, MD), May 15, 2019


Germantown residents protest cell phone tower installation near elementary school WMC (Memphis, TN), Mar 18, 2019

Cell Phone Safety for Kids
Tonya Harris, WISH (Indianapolis, IN), Mar 5, 2019

Is 5G Technology Dangerous?
Stephanie Whitfield, KHOU (Houston, TX), Feb 11, 2019

Local Neighborhood Concerned for Possible AT&T Tower
Dan Garrett, KSNT (Topeka, KS), Feb 4, 2019

U.S. Sen. Blumenthal briefing on concerns with possible health risks posed by 5G wireless technology
Congressional news briefing, Connecticut Network (Hartford, CT), Dec 3, 2018
Senator Blumenthal pushes to investigate link between 5G wireless tech and cancer Hector Ramirez, WTNH (New Haven, CT), Dec 3, 2018
Controversy in Ozark over where a cell phone tower will be built Brandon Berg, KY3 (Springfield, MO), Nov 16, 2018
5G wireless will provide faster cellular service. But how safe is it? Sara Girard, WINK (Fort Myers, FL), Nov 7, 2018
Debate continues over 5G wireless towers placed in residential areas Shennikia Grimshaw, WDVM (Montgomery County, MD), Sep 25, 2018
Concern grows over cellphone towers on Crown Heights building
News 12 Brooklyn (Brooklyn, NY), Sep 24, 2018

Some Danville residents express radiation concerns over building of small cell towers
Gabe Slate, KRON, (San Francisco, CA), Apr 17, 2018

Homeowners file lawsuit over potential wireless transmitter health risks
Shari Einhorn, News 12 Long Island, NY, Oct 19, 2017
Allergic to Wi-Fi: Woman helps locals suffering from electromagnetic radiation sensitivity WGN (Chicago, IL), Jun 6, 2017
WQAD (Moline, IL), Jun 6, 2017

Can Wireless Technology Make You Sick?
Azia Celestino, Channel One News, May 18, 2017

Cell Phone Radiation Warning Law Causes Controversy
Azia Celestino, Channel One News, May 17, 2017

No Wi-Fi or cellphones allowed in the 'Quietest Town in America'
Julie Unruh, WGN (Chicago, IL), May 15, 2017
The secret inside your cellphone
CBC Marketplace, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Mar 24, 2017

Berkeley's Cellphone Crusade
The National, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Mar 23, 2017

California Department of Public Health releases draft of document warning against cellphone radiation
Gabe Slate, KRON (San Francisco, CA), Mar 3, 2017

Smart meter opt out fees could be nixed in legislative session

Emily Ikeda, WHAG (Montgomery County, MD), Feb 2, 2017

City Light takes feedback on opt-out for smart meters
Joel Moreno, KOMO (Seattle, WA), Aug 12, 2016

Special Report: The facts about smart meters
Joy Wang, WILX (Lansing, MI), Feb 12, 2016

Very easy changes could limit your exposure to cell phone radiation
Jenny Day, San Diego 6 News, Nov 6, 2015

Cell phones believed to cause sleep problems
KXII (Denison, TX), Jun 26, 2014
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
28.3.2023 22:00

5G Wireless Technology: Is 5G Harmful to Our Health?


See the bottom of this page for additional summaries and resources.

5G Spectrum Allocation
Last update: March 28, 2023
5G (fifth-generation cellular) technology employs low-band (less than 1 gigahertz [GHz]), mid-band (1-6 GHz), and high-band radio frequencies (more than 6 GHz). In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated "low-band" spectrum at 0.6-0.8 GHz (e.g., 600-850 MHz), "mid-band" spectrum in the 2.5-4.0 GHz range, and 11 GHz of "high-band" frequencies including licensed spectrum from 24-28 GHz and 37-47 GHz, as well as unlicensed spectrum from 64-71 GHz which is open to all wireless equipment manufacturers.
Allocation of radio frequency spectrum for 5G varies by country.
The biologic and health effects associated with exposure to 5G radiation depend on the carrier frequency in addition to other factors.
https://www.emf-portal.org/en/article/overview/mobile-communications-5g#level-1

Biological and Health Effects of 5G
There has been little research on the biologic or health effects of 5G. According to EMF-Portal, an archive that contains more than 38,000 publications on electromagnetic fields, of the 519 studies on 5G, only 14 have been medical/biological studies (as of March 27, 2023).
A closer look, however, reveals that although these 14 studies employed carrier frequencies used in 5G, only three studies modulated or pulsed the signal as required by 5G and used other features of 5G (e.g., beamforming, massive MIMO, and phased arrays) that are likely to affect the nature and extent of biological or health effects from exposure to this radiation. These three studies are summarized below (Hardell and Nilsson, 2023; Chu et al., 2023; Perov et al., 2022).
--
ICNIRP Guidelines' Exposure Assessment Method for 5G Millimetre Wave Radiation May Trigger Adverse Effects

Redmayne M, Maisch DR. ICNIRP Guidelines' Exposure Assessment Method for 5G Millimetre Wave Radiation May Trigger Adverse Effects. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 5267. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20075267.

Abstract
The current global roll-out of 5G infrastructure is designed to utilise millimetre wave frequencies (30–300 GHz range) at data transmission rates in the order of gigabits per second (Gbps). This frequency band will be transmitted using beamforming, a new introduction in near-field exposures. The International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has recently updated their guidelines. We briefly examine whether the new approach of the ICNIRP is satisfactory to prevent heat damage and other adverse bio-effects once millimetre wave 5G is included, and we challenge the use of surface-only exposure assessment for local exposures greater than 6 GHz in part due to possible Brillouin precursor pulse formation. However, this is relevant whether or not Brillouin precursors occur from absorption of either 5G or future G transmissions. Many significant sources conclude there is insufficient research to assure safety even from the heat perspective. To date, there has been no published in vivo, in vitro or epidemiological research using exposures to 5G New Radio beam-formed signals.

Conclusions
Surface radiofrequency exposure assessments including mmW radiation are insufficient to ensure safety; there are several reasons assessment of SAab is also needed.
A real danger of the 'expert' assurances of a lack of risk is that they discourage the necessary research to evaluate risk properly. They may also discourage review of apparently outmoded/questionable approaches being taken in RF exposure standards.
Once the 5G mmW band is internationally operational, a significant proportion of the world's population will be exposed to new hazards. The intensity and complexity of near-field exposure, such as when carrying a phone in a pocket or using it next to the head, will be different for 5G, and this is the first time mmW have been used for public telecommunications and the first time beamforming has been deliberately introduced for near-field use. Without research on the impact of near-field 5G, this global step is an experiment at the population level. Bearing this in mind, there is a vital and urgent need for targeted research and for a re-evaluation of the scientific relevance of the current RF human exposure standards' basic approach and assumptions.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/7/5267
--
Case Report: The Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Emphasizes the Need for Protection from Radiofrequency Radiation
Hardell L, Nilsson M. (2023). Case Report: The Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Emphasizes the Need for Protection from Radiofrequency Radiation. Ann Case Report. 8: 1112. doi: 10.29011/2574-7754.101112.

Abstract

In this case report two previously healthy persons, a man aged 63 years and a woman aged 62 years, developed symptoms of the microwave syndrome after installation of a 5G base station for wireless communication on the roof above their apartment. A base station for previous telecommunication generation technology (3G/4G) was present at the same spot since several years. Very high radiofrequency (RF) radiation with maximum (highest measured peak value) levels of 354 000, 1 690 000, and >2 500 000 µW/m2 were measured at three occasions in the bedroom located only 5 meters below the new 5G base station, compared to maximum (peak) 9 000 µW/m2 prior to the 5G deployment. The rapidly emerging symptoms after the 5G deployment were typical for the microwave syndrome with e.g., neurological symptoms, tinnitus, fatigue, insomnia, emotional distress, skin disorders, and blood pressure variability. The symptoms were more pronounced in the woman. Due to the severity of symptoms, the couple left their dwelling and moved to a small office room with maximum (peak) RF radiation 3 500 µW/m2. Within a couple of days, most of their symptoms alleviated or disappeared completely. This medical history can be regarded as a classic provocation test. The RF radiation levels in the apartment were well below the limit proposed to be "safe" below which no health effects would occur, recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP). These now presented symptoms of the microwave syndrome were caused by non-thermal effects from RF radiation and highlight that the ICNIRP guidelines used in most countries including Sweden do not protect human health. Guidelines based on all biological negative effects from RF radiation are urgently needed, as well as monitoring human health, not the least due to rapidly increasing levels of exposure.

Open access paper: https://www.gavinpublishers.com/article/view/case-report-the-microwave-syndrome-after-installation-of-5g-emphasizes-the-need-for-protection-from-radiofrequency-radiation
--

Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted by Modern Cellphones on Sperm Motility and Viability: An In Vitro Study
Chu KY, Khodamoradi K, Blachman-Braun R, Dullea A, Bidhan J, Campbell K, Zizzo J, Israeli J, Kim M, Petrella F, Ibrahim E, Ramasamy R. Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by Modern Cellphones on Sperm Motility and Viability: An In Vitro Study. Eur Urol Focus. 2023 Jan;9(1):69-74. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2022.11.004.

Abstract

Background: Cellphones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) for transmission of data for social media communication, web browsing, and music/podcast streaming. Use of Bluetooth ear buds has probably prolonged the time during which cellphones reside in the trouser pockets of men. It has been postulated that RF-EMR increases oxidative stress and induces free radical formation.

Objective: To investigate the effect of wireless-spectrum (4G, 5G, and WiFi) RF-EMR emitted by modern smartphones on sperm motility and viability and explore whether these effects can be mitigated using a physical barrier or distance.

Design, setting, and participants: Semen samples were obtained from fertile normozoospermic men aged 25-35 yr. A current-generation smartphone in talk mode was used as the RF-EMR source. A WhatsApp voice call was made using either 4G, 5G, or WiFi wireless connectivity. We determined if exposure effects were mitigated by either a cellphone case or greater distance from the semen sample.

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The semen samples were analyzed according to 2010 World Health Organization laboratory guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.28.

Results and limitations: We observed decreases in sperm motility and viability with WiFi exposure but not with exposure to 4G or 5G RF-EMR. With large variability among smartphones, continued research on exposure effects is needed.

Conclusions: Our exploratory study revealed that sperm motility and viability are negatively impacted by smartphones that use the WiFi spectrum for data transmission.

Patient summary: We looked at the effect of cellphone use on sperm motility and viability. We found that cellphones using WiFi connectivity for data usage have harmful effects on semen quality in men.

​Excerpts
Our study is not without limitations. First, our small sample size of 18 introduces potential sources of bias. We did not collect demographic data for these patients in order to maintain privacy, so the results may be subject to confounding bias. As the first of its kind at our institution, this small trial was a pilot study to validate our experimental model and procedures. We hope that further studies on the effects of RF-EMR on semen parameters can be performed on larger samples to validate our initial results. Second, we recognize that other potential variables, including temperature and radiation strength, could play a role in inducing changes in semen parameters. For this preliminary study, we were only interested in a single variable (radiation); future work should investigate the impact of temperature and radiation strength on changes in semen. This was an exploratory in vitro study, and further in vivo studies in animal models should be performed to further evaluate the impact of radiation on semen parameters.
Conclusions

Our study revealed that 4G/5G RF-EMR emitted by a contemporary cellphone did not have negative effects on sperm motility and viability. By contrast, WiFi exposure did have negative effects. During data use, there may be an increase in heat dissipated by a cellphone, depending on the power required to connect to the source. Interestingly, we observed varying effects of WiFi on sperm parameters, depending on the environment. We posit that a greater distance from the wireless router results in a need for more cellphone power, which may lead to greater heat production and result in negative effects on sperm motility and viability. Mitigation measures such as use of a cellphone case and increasing the distance between the cellphone and the sperm sample lessened the effects. Further studies need to be performed to better understand the effects of RF-EMR on sperm parameters.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36379868/

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Status of the Neuroendocrine System in Animals Chronically Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields of 5G Mobile Network Base Stations
Perov SY, Rubtsova NB, Belaya OV. Status of the Neuroendocrine System in Animals Chronically Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields of 5G Mobile Network Base Stations. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2023 Jan 4. doi: 10.1007/s10517-023-05689-2.
Abstract
We studied the biological effect of chronic exposure to multifrequency electromagnetic fields simulating the effects of 5G NR/IMT-2020 mobile communication systems. Male Wistar rats were exposed to 24-h radiation (250 μW/cm2) for 4 months. The exploratory activity of the animals and blood concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone were evaluated at the end of each month of exposure and 1 month after exposure. The results suggest that exposure to multifrequency electromagnetic field simulating the effects of 5G systems affected functional activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and was stressful in nature.
Excerpts
The animals were divided into 5 experimental (exposure to EMF of 5G systems, power density (PD) 250 μW/cm2) and 5 control (sham exposure) groups (12 rats each). Exposure conditions: chronic experiment — exposure for 4 months (120 days; 24-h, 7 days per week) and 1-month (30 days) post exposure period (without irradiation). During exposure period, the animals of experimental groups were kept in radio transparent (plastic) cages. Exposure was carried out by 5G/IMT-2020 base stations with simultaneous use of radio channels with 3.6 GHz (n78 with 100 MHz channel bandwidth), 28 GHz (n257 with 100 MHz channel bandwidth) and 37 GHz (n260 with 400 MHz channel bandwidth) central frequencies....
The neuroendocrine system of rats responded to chronic 4-month EMF exposure by waveform changes of serum levels of ACTH and corticosterone. ACTH content had a tendency to increase after 3 months of the experiment (Fig. 1).

Changes in serum corticosterone content in exposed animals were more pronounced; significant differences from the control group were revealed after 1 and 2 months of exposure and the maximum increase was found 1 month after end of exposure (Fig. 2).
Chronic exposure induced changes in orientation and exploratory activity and emotional state of experimental animals. These changes were detected starting from 3rd month of exposure, but did not reach significance threshold, and 1 month after the end of irradiation, the excitation and inhibition processes in the CNS returned to normal.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36598666/

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Brillouin Precursors, a theoretical oddity or a real concern for 5G millimetre-wave bands to be used in future high-speed telecommunications?

Don Maisch, PhD, Discussion Paper, July 21, 2022

The following topics are briefly discussed in the paper:

  • Brillouin Precursors
  • The need for reliable research
  • Uncertainties with ICNIRP's thermally based limits for millimeter wave emissions
  • A potential risk for property owners

Excerpts

"... With a millimeter wavelength of 0.65 mm at 42 GHz. The waves can penetrate into the human skin deep enough to affect most skin structures located in the epidermis and dermis.1 However, these types of waves present other challenges. The first is that when most of the energy is focused in a small area, such as 5G antenna beam-forming, the risk of human tissue heating for anyone in the path of the beam will be increased.
The second challenge is that signals such as radar that are made of sharp pulses behave differently when they enter body tissue containing moving charges (such as potassium ions). Each incoming pulse generates a force that accelerates these moving charges, thereby causing them to become emitters of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). This additional radiation adds large spikes onto the leading and trailing edges of the original EMR pulse. The sharp transients, called "Brillouin Precursors" increase the strength of the original signal and reradiate EMR waves deeper into the body than predicted by conventional thermal models. 2

The creation of Brillouin Precursors within the body by very short pulsed signals in the frequency of 10 GHz or more (millimeter wave bands) was described by Albanese et al in 1994. These authors predicted that the interaction of these signals with human tissue would cause disruption of large molecules, and damage cell membranes leading to blood-brain barrier leakage. 3 ....
It must be pointed out that little research has been carried out on the possibility of adverse biological effects from the creation of Brillouin precursors with 5G phased array antennas (let alone on 6G communications). Considering the high download speeds, which may have unintended adverse biological effects, this should be a priority.
Other damaging effects have been predicted in a paper published in Health Physics in December 2018 by Esra Neufeld and Niels Kuster. The paper suggests that permanent skin damage from tissue heating may occur even after short exposures to 5G millimetre wave pulse trains (where repetitive short, intense pulses can cause rapid, localised heating of skin). The authors stated that there is an urgent need for new thermal safety standards to address the kind of health risks possible with 5G technology ....
It is possible that this advice was in response to the ICNIRP draft guidelines (2019) as some changes were made to the final published guidelines. However, the changes did not conform to those suggested and it is not clear that the possibility of excessive heat absorption from these higher frequencies, which may result in pain, has been addressed in ICNIRP's current guidelines.
The necessity for more reliable research into possible damaging effects of pulsed millimetre waves used for 5G communications is also seen in an August 2021 paper by Foster and Vijayalaxmi ....
Concerns over the lack of scientific data regarding possible biological effects of millimeter waves proposed for use in modern telecommunications have been raised by Nicholas Lawler et al. in Biomedical Optics Express (May 2022). The authors found that the studies cited indicate a strong power and dose dependence of millimeter wave induced effects at biologically relevant exposure levels such as those recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) ....
The "take-home" message from the above mentioned papers is that we still do not have adequate research on 5G millimetre waves to be able to assure the public that the many thousands of 5G antennas, in many instances placed in close proximity to homes and workplaces, are without a possible health risk because the necessary research has not yet been conducted.
Open access paper: https://betweenrockandhardplace.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/don-maisch-brillouin-precursors-july-8-2022.pdf

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Expert reveals 5G risks

Lyn McLean, Director, EMR Australia PL, April 8, 2022

"Frequencies used in Telecommunications – An Integrated Radiobiological Assessment"

By Yuri G. Grigoriev, translated by ORSAA [Oceania Radiofrequency Scientific Advisory Association Inc (www.orsaa.org)]

The book can be downloaded for free: https://bit.ly/GrigorievBook (198 page pdf)

One of the world's leading authorities on wireless radiation has documented the risks of 5G radiation in "the first book on 5G that outlines the potential dangers of 5G technology, both in Russia and overseas."

The book, written by Professor Yuri Grigoriev shortly before his death, was recently translated into English by the Oceania Radiofrequency Scientific Advisory Association (ORSAA) and can now be downloaded for free.

Many countries (including Australia) base their radiation standards on Guidelines developed by the International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In the book, Prof Grigoriev points out that ICNIRP is not necessarily a credible body, and its members are not impartial scientists. The ICNIRP Guidelines, he believes, are inadequate because they are only designed to protect people from the heating effects of radiation. But even this, they don't do properly.

[Note: In the U.S., the radio frequency radiation guidelines adopted by the FCC are similar to those of ICNIRP.]

Among the problems with these guidelines are that:

  • they don't prevent unacceptable increases in temperature

  • they don't restrict the intensity of spikes of radiation

  • a person would have to hold a 5G mobile phone 8 cm from their head or body to comply with them.

Grigoriev says 'ICNIRP members persist in arguing that the thousands of peer-reviewed studies that have found biological or medical consequences from chronic exposure to non-thermal EMF levels are insufficient to warrant stricter safety regulations.'

Grigoriev refers to studies showing harmful effects of 5G millimetre waves (MMWs). They include:

  • demyelination of nerve cells

  • changes to cell membranes, including changes to ion channels

  • inhibition of cell cycle progression

  • changes to levels of enzyme and proteins in the brain's hippocampus

  • double-strand breaks in DNA

  • effects on reproduction

  • changes to the sensitivity of the skin

  • effects on peripheral and central nervous systems

  • effects on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands and changes to cortisol and testosterone hormones

  • changes to heart rate

  • changes to immune function

  • degranulation of mast cells in the skin (that can cause allergic-type symptoms).

Grigoriev says that individuals react differently to exposure, and this can make it difficult for observers to draw conclusions and can lead to errors in assessing the impacts of radiation.

He writes, "From our evaluation of the results of preliminary studies on the possible impacts on the health of the population of the 5G MMW-exposures alone …, we consider it reasonable to expect the following adverse effects: impacts on normal functioning in the critical organs of the skin and eyes; mediated systemic reactions in the body as a whole; and, most notable, impacts to the nervous and immune systems."

Grigoriev refers to calls by doctors, scientists and administrations in different countries to halt the roll-out of 5G until it can be demonstrated to be safe. He says, 'Irradiation of the human population by MMWs without the appropriate precautionary standards is clearly immoral – in the same way as conducting or observing an experiment would be, when it has the possibility of developing pathological processes; eg, according to the notion: 'Wait and see … then we will be able to establish proper standards.' Of course, by then, it will be too late!"


Professor Yuri G. Grigoriev (PhD, DMedSci) 1925-2021
  • Chief Scientific Officer, Laboratory of Radiobiology and Hygiene of Non-Ionizing Radiation, Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of the Federal Medical Biological Agency (Russia)
  • Academician, Academy of Electro-Technical Sciences (Russia)
  • Deputy Chair, Bureau of Radiobiology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • Member of the WHO Advisory Committee (International EMF Project)
  • Member of the Russian Scientific Commission on Radiation Protection
  • Member of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
  • Member of the International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety
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Mar 24, 2022 5G Observatory Quarterly Report 13 - Up to October 2021
Valdani Vicari & Associati (VVA), PolicyTracker, LS telcom AG. European Commission Study on "European 5G Observatory phase III." CNECT/2021/OP/0008: 1-135. 2021.
Excerpts
  • In the richest nations like the USA, Japan, South Korea and China, commercial 5G services have been in operation for a couple of years, and 5G is now spreading to less developed countries.
  • The USA has assigned the most mmWave (millimeter wave) spectrum: four bands in total, compared to one in some of the EU and none in China.
  • It is important to note that most of the figures collected on the number of 5G base stations are provided by governments, but in some cases such as the USA and Japan, they are based on market research estimates. It is possible that some market-based estimates are not entirely up to date or accurate.
Open access report: https://5gobservatory.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/5G-Obs-PhaseIII_Quarterly-report-13_final-version-11112021.pdf

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Possible health effects on the human brain by various generations of mobile telecommunication: a review based estimation of 5G impact
Hiie Hinrikus, Tarmo Koppel, Jaanus Lass, Hans Orru, Priit Roosipuu, Maie Bachmann. Possible health effects on the human brain by various generations of mobile telecommunication: a review based estimation of 5G impact. Int J Radiat Biol. 2022 Jan 7;1-48. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2022.2026516.

Abstract

Purpose: The deployment of new 5G NR technology has significantly raised public concerns in possible negative effects on human health by radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF). The current review is aimed to clarify the differences between possible health effects caused by the various generations of telecommunication technology, especially discussing and projecting possible health effects by 5G. The review of experimental studies on the human brain over the last fifteen years and the discussion on physical mechanisms and factors determining the dependence of the RF EMF effects on frequency and signal structure have been performed to discover and explain the possible distinctions between health effects by different telecommunication generations.

Conclusions: The human experimental studies on RF EMF effects on the human brain by 2G, 3G and 4G at frequencies from 450 to 2500 MHz were available for analyses. The search for publications indicated no human experimental studies by 5G nor at the RF EMF frequencies higher than 2500 MHz. The results of the current review demonstrate no consistent relationship between the character of RF EMF effects and parameters of exposure by different generations (2G, 3G, 4G) of telecommunication technology. At the RF EMF frequencies lower than 10 GHz, the impact of 5G NR FR1 should have no principal differences compared to the previous generations. The radio frequencies used in 5G are even higher and the penetration depths of the fields are smaller, therefore the effect is rather lower than at previous generations. At the RF EMF frequencies higher than 10 GHz, the mechanism of the effects might differ and the impact of 5G NR FR2 becomes unpredictable. Existing knowledge about the mechanism of RF EMF effects at millimeter waves lacks sufficient experimental data and theoretical models for reliable conclusions. The insufficient knowledge about the possible health effects at millimeter waves and the lack of in vivo experimental studies on 5G NR underline an urgent need for the theoretical and experimental investigations of health effects by 5G NR, especially by 5G NR FR2.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34995145/
Excerpts
Experimental human in vivo studies at radiofrequency range 0.01-300 GHz published in peer-reviewed journals in the last fifteen years (2007–2021) were eligible, including all types of telecommunication signals and pulse-modulated radiofrequency radiation.

Altogether 73 publications were included in the review.

According to investigated parameters, the studies were divided into four categories: resting electroencephalography (EEG), sleep EEG and sleep quality, event related potentials (ERP) and cognition-behavior and brain metabolism. Statistically significant changes in an investigated parameter between sham and exposed conditions were considered as an effect.

Table 2 presents the studies that report the RF EMF effect or no effect at different signal structures and frequencies.

No clear interdependency between the generation of telecommunication technology and the character of RF EMF effects becomes evident from Table 2. All categories of the reported statistically significant effects as well as no effects include exposure from various generations of telecommunication systems and different RF EMF frequencies.


The rate of studies reporting effect is 78.6% at 450 MHz, 66.7% at 900 MHz, 43.6% at 1800 MHz, and 57.1% at 2450 MHz. The rate of positive findings is maximal, 78.6%, at 450 MHz band and minimal, 43.8%, at 1800 MHz band. However, along with the possible regular frequency dependent trend, the decrease could be related to other factors: differences in signal structures and varying number of experiments at different frequencies. The difference between results at 450 MHz and 1800 MHz can be partly related to the character of applied exposure: at 450 MHz remarkable part of studies have used meander-like pulse-modulated, not telecommunication signals like RF EMF exposure.
The rate of studies reporting effect is 33.3% at TETRA, 63.6% at GSM, 46.2% at WCDMA, 80% at LTE and 20% at WiFi signals. These numbers should be taken with caution due to the small number of studies, especially at LTE, WiFi and TETRA signals. Some trends can be mentioned: the rate of studies reporting RF EMF effect is higher than 50% at LTE and GSM signals, lower than 50% at WCDMA and TETRA signals and minimal at WiFi signals. This trend is not in accordance with the possible dependence on the used radiofrequency and needs explanation based on the characteristic behavior of the used signals.

Conclusions

In the current review, the experimental investigations on RF EMF effects on human EEG, ERP, cognition and behavior were analyzed at the exposure conditions typical for the 2G, 3G and 4G generations of mobile telecommunication technology at frequencies from 450 to 2500 MHz. The search for publications indicated no studies on human EEG, ERP, cognition and behavior by 5G nor at RF EMF frequencies higher than 2500 MHz.

The results of the current review demonstrate no consistent relationship between the character of RF EMF effects and parameters of exposure by different generations (2G, 3G, 4G) of mobile telecommunication technology. The following trends can be mentioned:

  1. Various generations of telecommunication technology seem to contribute to similar effects. There is no special frequency nor signal structure related to a specific effect.

  2. Some decrease in the rate of studies reporting effects with the increase of RF EMF frequency can be declared. However, due to the small number of studies, especially at higher frequencies (≥2 GHz), the results need to be considered with caution.

The existing knowledge about the mechanisms underlying RF EMF effects allows us to formulate the following conclusions:

  1. The dielectric polarization, a physical reason behind the RF EMF effects, decreases with the frequency of RF EMF. The electric permittivity is relatively stable at frequencies over 0.1 and 10 GHz, but decreases fast at frequencies higher than 10 GHz. At frequencies higher than 10 GHz, the effects related to the dielectric polarization become small. The scarce data about the RF EMF effects at frequencies higher than 10 GHz provide insufficient knowledge to clarify the possible interaction mechanisms.

  2. The theory of parametric excitation could explain the impact of the signal structure. The presence of the low-frequency components lower than 1000 Hz in the spectrum of RF EMF exposure (2G-5G) is an important factor to give rise to the RF EMF effects on the nervous system. The RF EMF effects are most probably caused by the telecommunication systems with low-frequency components lower than 100 Hz (4G, 5G FR1, 5G FR2).

Currently, there are no data about RF EMF effects caused by 5G telecommunication systems. Combining data of experimental results with existing knowledge in the mechanisms of RF EMF effects, the conclusions about the possible 5G effects can be derived:

  1. At the RF EMF frequencies lower than 10 GHz, the impact of 5G NR FR1 should have no principal differences compared to the previous generations. The frequencies used in 5G are even higher and the penetration depths of the fields are smaller, therefore the effect is rather lower than at previous generations.

  2. The low-frequency components in the 5G NR FR1 RF EMF spectrum are similar to these of 4G. Therefore, the possible health effects should have the same level.

  3. At the RF EMF frequencies higher than 10 GHz, the mechanism of the effects might change and the impact of 5G NR FR2 becomes unpredictable.

  4. The possible health effects caused by 5G NR FR2 are not limited to the impact on skin but can be widened by the excitation of nervous system.

  5. Existing knowledge about the mechanism of RF EMF effects at millimeter waves lacks sufficient experimental data and theoretical models for reliable conclusions.

The insufficient knowledge about the possible health effects at millimeter waves and the lack of in vivo experimental studies on 5G NR underline an urgent need for the theoretical and experimental investigations of health effects by 5G NR, especially by 5G NR FR2.

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Health Effects of 5G Base Station Exposure: A Systematic Review
Tasneem Sofri, Hasliza A Rahim, Mohamedfareq Abdulmalek, Khatijahhusna Abd Rani, Mohd Hafizi Omar, Mohd Najib Mohd Yasin, Muzammil Jusoh, Ping Jack Soh. Health Effects of 5G Base Station Exposure: A Systematic Review. IEEE Access. Dec 30, 2021. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3139385.

Abstract

The Fifth Generation (5G) communication technology will deliver faster data speeds and support numerous new applications such as virtual and augmented reality. The additional need for a larger number of 5G base stations has sparked widespread public concerns about their possible negative health impacts. This review analyzes the latest research on electromagnetic exposure on humans, with particular attention to its effect on cognitive performance, well-being, physiological parameters, and Electroencephalography (EEG). While most of their results indicated no changes in cognitive function, physiological parameters, or overall well-being, the strength of the EEG alpha wave is noticed to vary depending on various aspects of cognitive functions. However, the available studies have not investigated the health effects resulting from exposure from the 5G mobile phone and base station antennas from 700 MHz to 30 GHz on the cognitive performance, well-being subjective symptoms, human physiological parameters, and EEG of adults. There is a need for such research regarding this current emerging technology. Such studies are significant in determining whether 5G technology is indeed safe for humans.

Conclusion

This work presents an analysis of exposure studies conducted using signals from 400 MHz to 1750 MHz (for 4G). From this analysis, the following conclusions are made:
• Most of the studies in literature using 2G/3G/4G showed no effects and no consistency in how exposure to these signals affected the cognitive, physiological parameters, well-being, and EEG of the volunteers.
• Most research on human cognition, physiological parameters, and well-being so far have focused on the impacts of GSM900/GSM1800/UMTS/4G MPs, GSM900/GSM1800/UMTS BSs, DECT, and Wi-Fi exposures.

• There is an absence of studies reporting the effects of 5G (700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, or 28 GHz) BS signals on adults in terms of cognitive performance, well-being, or physiological markers (heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature).

Figure 9 and 10 illustrated the possible flowchart and schematic diagram to study the effects of 5G BS exposure signals for sub-6 GHz and mmWave bands (of up to 30 GHz) to human subjects. Data from such a study will be useful in explicitly determining the significance signal exposure from 5G BS on human health, considering their much closer proximity to users.

Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9665755
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Health Council of the Netherlands and evaluation of the fifth generation, 5G, for wireless communication and cancer risks
Lennart Hardell. Health Council of the Netherlands and evaluation of the fifth generation, 5G, for wireless communication and cancer risks. World J Clin Oncol 2021; 12(6): 393-403 doi: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i6.393.
Abstract

Currently the fifth generation, 5G, for wireless communication is about to be rolled out worldwide. Many persons are concerned about potential health risks from radiofrequency radiation. In September 2017, a letter was sent to the European Union asking for a moratorium on the deployment until scientific evaluation has been made on potential health risks (https://www.5Gappeal.eu). This appeal has had little success. The Health Council of the Netherlands released on September 2, 2020 their evaluation on 5G and health. It was largely based on a World Health Organization draft and report by the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, both criticized for not being impartial. The guidelines by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection were recommended to be used, although they have been considered to be insufficient to protect against health hazards (https://www.emfscientist.org). The Health Council Committee recommended not to use the 26 GHz frequency band until health risks have been studied. For lower frequencies, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines were recommended. The conclusion that there is no reason to stop the use of lower frequencies for 5G is not justified by current evidence on cancer risks as commented in this article. A moratorium is urgently needed on the implementation of 5G for wireless communication.

Core Tip: In this comment, guidelines for radiofrequency radiation are discussed in relation to a recent evaluation by the Health Council of the Netherlands. The Committee recommends that for the deployment of 5G the frequency band 26 GHz should not be used. For lower frequencies, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines are recommended. However, these guidelines are not based on an objective evaluation of health risks, which is discussed in this paper.
Conclusion
In conclusion regarding cancer, current scientific evidence clearly demonstrates an increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma for use of mobile and/or cordless phones. In this review other tumor types and health endpoints are not discussed. The increased risk for brain and head tumors is based on human cancer epidemiology studies and is supported by similar tumor types found in animal studies. In fact, these animal studies confirmed the earlier results in case-control studies on increased tumor risk for use of wireless phones (both mobile and cordless phones). Mechanistic aspects on carcinogenesis come from laboratory findings on, e.g., the increase of reactive oxygen species[5] and DNA damage[4]. The current evaluation by the Health Council of the Netherlands is based on a WHO draft and SSM report. It also recommends using ICNIRP guidelines, considered to be insufficient to protect against health hazards, such as cancer, by the majority of the scientists in this field (https://www.emfscientist.org). The report does not represent a thorough, balanced, objective, and up-to-date evaluation of cancer risks and other hazardous effects from RF radiation. It is also strikingly contradictory as it concludes that serious health effects such as cancer and birth defects are "possible." Yet it has no objection to the roll-out of 5G and recommends that later studies are performed to study health outcomes such as cancer and birth defects. Thus, no lessons are learned from existing observations on increased cancer risks[49]. The conclusion by the Commission that there is no reason to stop the use of lower frequencies for 5G up to 3.5 GHz because of no "proven adverse health effects," merely reflects the biased conclusions by ICNIRP dominated groups. Thus that conclusion must be dismissed, and new guidelines for previous and new frequencies must be established considering the new technology, the different propagation pattern for 5G, and increased RF radiation. A moratorium is urgently required on the implementation of 5G for wireless communication[13]. Ultimately, wired solutions are preferred.

Open access paper: https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-4333/full/v12/i6/393.htm

--Related Posts
Regulators Steamroll Health Concerns as the Global Economy Embraces 5G (Washington Spectator)
"We Have No Reason to Believe 5G is Safe" (Scientific American)
Scientific American Created Confusion about 5G's Safety: Will They Clear It Up? (includes "5G, Public Health and Uncomfortable Truths")

5G Wireless Technology: Millimeter Wave Health Effects5G Wireless Technology: Cutting through the Hype
Scientists and Doctors Demand Moratorium on 5GGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) 2020 Report on 5G5G and Health (Netherlands Health Council)European Parliament: 5G Health Effects and Environmental Impact
ICNIRP's Exposure Guidelines for Radio Frequency Fields
Worldwide Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure Limits versus Health Effects
Cell Tower Health EffectsElectromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS)
Physicians for Safe TechnologyEnvironmental Health TrustMicrowave News
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Health Safety Guidelines and 5G Wireless Radiation [Health Matters]
James C. Lin. Health Safety Guidelines and 5G Wireless Radiation [Health Matters]. IEEE Microwave Magazine. 23(1):10-17. Jan. 2022, doi: 10.1109/MMM.2021.3117307.
Abstract
The rollout of 5G cellular communication technology is well underway worldwide. The advocates of 5G mobile technology hail it as a faster and more secure technology than its predecessor, 3G and 4G systems. The major enabling infrastructure uses millimeter-wave (mm-wave) and phased-array technology to achieve line-of-sight directivity, high data rates, and low latency. A central vulnerability or security threat is that it may allow spying on users. Nevertheless, this is a system architecture and technology or regulatory issue but not a biological effect or health safety matter.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9632507
My note: James C. Lin, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Lin is one of the most renowned scientists who has studied the biological interactions of wireless radiation. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Since 2006 he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Bioelectromagnetics journal published on behalf of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS), an international organization of biological and physical scientists, physicians and engineers. In a prior article, Dr. Lin, an ICNIRP Commission member from 2004-2016, accused the organization of groupthink: "The simultaneous penchant to dismiss and criticize positive results and the fondness for and eager acceptance of negative findings are palpable and concerning."

Like several previous articles that Dr. JC Lin wrote for IEEE Microwave Magazine, the abstract is biased toward risk minimization so read the paper or the following excerpts.

Excerpts
Low-band 5G starts at roughly 400 MHz and uses existing or previous 3G or 4G frequencies or newly opened frequencies to operate; the latter, for example, may overlap with the existing 4G band. The 5G rollout began with midband, which includes popular frequencies between 3 and 4 GHz. However, primary 5G technological advances are associated with high-band 5G, which promises performance bandwidth as high as 20 GHz, and multiple-input, multiple-output strategies using 64–256 antennas at short distances and offering performances up to 10 times better than the current 4G networks."
"For health safety matters, it is not apparent whether the biological responses to high-band 5G radiations would be akin to earlier generations or low-band 5G radiations, given the distinctive characteristics of mm-wave and its interaction with the complex structure and composition of pertinent, superficial biological cells and tissues such as the cornea of the eye and nerve-rich human skin, the large, protective organ of the body."
"The two most widely promulgated RF health safety guidelines or standards have recently published revisions of their respective 1998 and 2005 versions [1], [2]. The updated International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection guidelines and IEEE standards appear to cater to industry wishes; they are strongly linked to thermal effects associated with measurable temperature elevations. Also, the updates seem to have been synchronized to accommodate the 5G rollout."
"To date, there has not been a single reported epidemiological study that investigated mm-waves and their potential health effects.
Thus, although there are roughly 100 published laboratory investigations of all types, and the reported biological responses are inconsistent in their association between biological effects and mm-wave exposure. Indeed, the types of reported laboratory investigations are small, limited, and diverse, considering the wide, 5G, mm-wave frequency domain. The jury on biological effects or health impacts is still out on 5G mm-waves. Moreover, there is a lack of ongoing, controlled laboratory investigations...."
"If the entities responsible for safety recommendations believe what appears to be their position concerning experimental results from rats from the NIEHS/NTP that a whole-body temperature rise of 1 °C is carcinogenic, then the safety factors of 50 adopted for the public or 10 for workers would be marginal for their stated purpose and practically meaningless from the perspective of "safety" protection (more so above 6 GHz)."
"As shown in Table 1, for mm-waves, the referenced local-tissue-temperature rise in the head, torso, and limbs of humans is 5 °C. This level of temperature rise would bring the tissue temperature from a normal value of 37 °C to a hyperthermic 42 °C. A 42 °C tissue temperature is known to be cytotoxic, with exponential cell-killing capacities. It is used as the basis for clinical cancer therapy in hyperthermia treatment for cancer protocols [14]–[16]. The recently updated safety recommendations provide a reduction factor of 10 for the public's safety and a reduction factor of two in the case of workers. In this situation, the efficacy of these updated safety recommendations is borderline, and the updated recommendations are meaningless from the perspective of safety protection.

In summary, the safety recommendation updates were based primarily on limiting the tissue-heating potentials of RF radiation to elevate body temperatures. There are significant anomalies in the recently updated safety recommendations. Moreover, aside from the aforementioned anomalies, the existing scientific data are too limited—especially at mm-wavelengths—to make a reliable assessment or conclusion with any certainty. Some of the updated safety recommendations are marginal, questionable, and lack scientific justification from the perspective of safety protection."

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5G Cellular Standards. Total Radiobiological Assessment of the Danger of Planetary Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure to the Population (in Russian)Y.G. Grigoriev, A.S. Samoylov. 5G-cellular standards. Total radiobiological assessment of the danger of planetary electromagnetic radiation exposure to the population. G384; М.: SRC — FMBC, Moscow, 2020.
Abstract

The book discusses the implementation of the 5G-standard in the cellular communication system. 5G-technology works with millimeter waves (MMW) with simultaneous distribution of the IoT (Internet of Things) program — Internet connection between «things», both for home use, and other objects, for example, in transport, in production. MMW are easily shielded. Given this, only the skin and sclera of the eyes will be affected.
A new radiobiological approach to hazard assessment of the 5G-standard is presented. The significance of radiobiological criteria and the degree of risk are considered, taking into account the appearance of new critical organs and the load on existing critical organs and systems during lifetime exposure to EMF in the population. This point of view of the authors is used to assess the total radiobiological danger of planetary electromagnetic radiation exposure to the population.
Ways of possible reduction of the electromagnetic load on the population are suggested.

Relevance of the book by L.A. Ilyin, RAS academician
Both in Russia and in countries abroad, there have been active discussions over the past few years about a promising proposal for optimizing cellular communications — the planetary introduction of a new 5G-standard that will guarantee fast transmission of a large amount of data. For this purpose, millimeter waves (MMW) will be used.
The techno-economic advantage of this offer is obvious and widely reported by the media in many countries. However, the degree of danger of this type of electromagnetic radiation to public health and the environment remains unclear.
Unfortunately, the appeals of scientists and medical professionals to the UN and the European Union about the need for preliminary medical and biological research before implementing the 5G-standard remain beyond real implementation. A number of countries refuse to place the 5G-standard on their territory.

Book by Yu.G. Grigoriev and A.S. Samoylov "5G-CELLULAR STANDARD. TOTAL RADIOBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DANGER OF PLANETARY ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION EXPOSURE TO THE POPULATION" considers the implementation of the 5G-standard in the cellular communication system. Unlike existing wireless technologies 2G, 3G and 4G, which use electromagnetic fields of the radio frequency range, the 5G-standard works with millimeter waves with simultaneous distribution of the IoT (Internet of Things) program — Internet communication between "objects", both for home use and other objects, for example, in transport and in production.
For stable delivery of MMW to the entire territory of our planet, Earth satellites are used. It is planned to launch 4,425 satellites for the implementation of the universal Internet access program, but there are already 800 satellites in space under this program. It should be noted that there are currently several thousand satellites in orbit, which is of great concern to astronomers and the security service of manned space flights in Russia.
In fact, the entire population will be trapped for life in the electromagnetic grid of millimeter waves and no one will be able to avoid their impact.

MMW are easily shielded. Naturally, to cover a certain area with a millimeter cell, you will need to increase the number of base stations (BS). For example, with a cell radius of only 20 meters, you will need about 800 base stations per square kilometer and located 3-5 meters from the consumer. This is in sharp contrast, for example, with 3G and 4G-standards, which use large cells and have ranges from 2 to 15 km or more.

Given that MMW is absorbed in biotissues at a depth of up to 2 mm, only the skin and sclera of the eyes will be affected by them. Therefore, the authors rightly believe that when assessing the risk of MMV, it is necessary to take into account the appearance of new critical organs — the skin and eyes. The skin is a very complex biostructure, has a large number of receptors and is actually a "bio-relay" between the external environment and the functional state of the body.
Naturally, the introduction of 5G-technology raises new questions. First, the technical part of providing this type of communication. A significantly larger number of micro-antenna base station antennas per unit area with satellite support is needed. Second, there is a lack of a consistent methodology for hygienic rationing. Third, there are only assumptions about possible biological effects in the lifetime impact of MMW on populations and ecosystems. There are no data on possible bioeffects with constant exposure to MMW on the skin and sclera of the eyes. Targeted research is still not carried out both in Russia and abroad.

There are different perspectives on the assessment of the dangers of this new technology. The International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assess the hazard only by adding the absorbed dose to existing standards. This is a small addition, and therefore the existing FCC and ICNIRP standards, approved in 1996, are not being revised. International standards, despite criticism from the scientific community and the European Union, have remained unchanged for more than 20 years.
The authors of the reviewed book consider this approach erroneous, because in this case, the radiation load on new critical organs — the skin and eyes--is not taken into account. They considered the significance of radiobiological criteria and the degree of risk, taking into account the emergence of new critical organs and the load on existing critical organs and systems, taking into account the lifetime exposure of the population to EMF. From this point of view, the book presents an assessment of the total radiobiological danger of planetary electromagnetic radiation exposure to the population.

The book offers new ways to reduce the electromagnetic load, taking into account 5G on the population. It is necessary to explain to the population that EMF is considered harmful and their safety is regulated by certain hygiene standards.

Exposure to EMF that exceeds these standards may negatively affect the health of the mobile user. In this regard, the population should strictly follow the existing hygiene recommendations. However, most people perceive gadgets simply as an element of convenient everyday communication without time limits, as a toy for children, for entertainment, using cellular communication without the need. The population should understand that by violating hygiene recommendations, they are putting themselves at a certain risk. This danger must be persistently explained and, above all, through the media. It is recommended to introduce such a concept as "The conscious risk". This is the first generalization on the problem of the danger of 5G-technologies, both in Russia and abroad.
Open access book (in Russian; 196 pp. pdf): https://bit.ly/Grigoriev5G
My comments: A considerable amount of research suggests that exposure to millimeter waves can affect many organs of the body, not just the skin and the eyes.

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Electromagnetic fields, 5G and health: what about the precautionary principle?
John William Frank. Electromagnetic fields, 5G and health: what about the precautionary principle? J Epidemiol Community Health. Published Online First: 19 January 2021. doi: 10.1136/jech-2019-213595.
Abstract

New fifth generation (5G) telecommunications systems, now being rolled out globally, have become the subject of a fierce controversy. Some health protection agencies and their scientific advisory committees have concluded that there is no conclusive scientific evidence of harm. Several recent reviews by independent scientists, however, suggest that there is significant uncertainty on this question, with rapidly emerging evidence of potentially harmful biological effects from radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposures, at the levels 5G roll-out will entail. This essay identifies four relevant sources of scientific uncertainty and concern: (1) lack of clarity about precisely what technology is included in 5G; (2) a rapidly accumulating body of laboratory studies documenting disruptive in vitro and in vivo effects of RF-EMFs—but one with many gaps in it; (3) an almost total lack (as yet) of high-quality epidemiological studies of adverse human health effects from 5G EMF exposure specifically, but rapidly emerging epidemiological evidence of such effects from past generations of RF-EMF exposure; (4) persistent allegations that some national telecommunications regulatory authorities do not base their RF-EMF safety policies on the latest science, related to unmanaged conflicts of interest. The author, an experienced epidemiologist, concludes that one cannot dismiss the growing health concerns about RF-EMFs, especially in an era when higher population levels of exposure are occurring widely, due to the spatially dense transmitters which 5G systems require. Based on the precautionary principle, the author echoes the calls of others for a moratorium on the further roll-out of 5G systems globally, pending more conclusive research on their safety.

Conclusions and recommendation

In assessing causal evidence in environmental epidemiology, Bradford Hill himself pointed out that 'the whole picture matters;' he argued against prioritising any subset of his famous nine criteria for causation. One's overall assessment of the likelihood that an exposure causes a health condition should take into account a wide variety of evidence, including 'biological plausibility'. After reviewing the evidence cited above, the writer, an experienced physician-epidemiologist, is convinced that RF-EMFs may well have serious human health effects. While there is also increasing scientific evidence for RF-EMF effects of ecological concern in other species, both plant and animal, these have not been reviewed here, for reasons of space and the author's disciplinary limitations. In addition, there is convincing evidence, cited above, that several nations' regulatory apparatus, for telecommunications innovations such as the 5G roll-out, is not fit for purpose. Indeed, significant elements in that apparatus appear to have been captured by vested interests. Every society's public health—and especially the health of those most likely to be susceptible to the hazard in question (in the case of EMFs, children and pregnant women)—needs to be protected by evidence-based regulations, free from significant bias.

Finally, this commentary would be remiss if it did not mention a widely circulating conspiracy theory, suggesting that 5G and related EMF exposures somehow contributed to the creation or spread of the current COVID-19 pandemic. There are knowledgeable commentators' reports on the web debunking this theory, and no respectable scientist or publication has backed it. Indeed, combatting it is widely viewed by the scientific community as critical to dealing with the pandemic, as conspiracy theorists holding this view have already carried out violent attacks on mobile phone transmission facilities and other symbolic targets, distracting the public and authorities at a time when pandemic control actions are paramount. 42 This writer completely supports that view of the broader scientific community: the theory that 5G and related EMFs have contributed to the pandemic is baseless.

It follows that, for the current 5G roll-out, there is a sound basis for invoking 'the precautionary principle'. This is the environmental and occupational health principle by which significant doubt about the safety of a new and potentially widespread human exposure should be a reason to call a moratorium on that exposure, pending adequate scientific investigation of its suspected adverse health effects. In short, one should 'err on the side of caution'. In the case of 5G transmission systems, there is no compelling public health or safety rationale for their rapid deployment. The main gains being promised are either economic (for some parties only, not necessarily with widely distributed financial benefits across the population) or related to increased consumer convenience. Until we know more about what we are getting into, from a health and ecological point of view, those putative gains need to wait.

Open access paper: https://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2021/01/04/jech-2019-213595 or https://jech.bmj.com/content/jech/early/2021/01/04/jech-2019-213595.full.pdf

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Chemical polarization effects of electromagnetic field radiation from the novel 5G network deployment at ultra high frequency
Ugochukwu O. Matthew, Jazuli S. Kazaure. Chemical polarization effects of electromagnetic field radiation from the novel 5G network deployment at ultra high frequency. Health Technology (Berl). 2021 Jan 27: 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s12553-020-00501-x.
Abstract
The wide-spectrum of non-ionizing, non-visible radiation emitted from the novel 5G network deployment was investigated and found liable to produce effects capable of heating up and altering human body nomenclature. The Ultra-high frequency magnetic fields, induced circulation of currents in the surrounding human body when potentially exposed. The quantum of these electromagnetic charges is influenced by the magnitude of the external magnetic field. The Magnetic fields warming is the major organic consequence of the electromagnetic fields radiofrequency radiation emitted from 5G network installation especially at a very high frequencies. From the current research, the levels of electromagnetic fields to which individuals are naturally unmasked under 4G network and 5G network technology in SCENARIO1, SCENARIO 2 and SCENARIO 3 are very negligible to alter human body dipolar chemistry. On the several findings of the research, deploying 5G network technology under the ultra-high frequency above 20 GHz will produce effect that will heat up the human body tissues due to electromagnetic field inducement since human body is dipolar in nature. The research established that while the current digital society will continue investment into 5G network technology, caution must be applied not to deploy 5G network under ultra-high frequency above 20 GHz due to its adverse health effects.
Conclusions

From the knowledge and principle of electromagnetism, human beings are constituted of substantial amount of oriented cells with diverse electromagnetic field attributes. The Biological attributes of the human tissue under diverse electromagnetic radiative emission are studied and that had provided the basis upon which the current research on the effects of electromagnetic fields on the human body. The heating consequences of the radio electromagnetic waves from 5G network technology deployment had formed the fundamental basis for current research. On the several findings of the research, deploying 5G network technology under the ultra-high baseband above 20 GHz will produce effects such as heating up of the body tissues due to electromagnetic field inducement on the account that human body is dipolar in nature. The effects will extend to produce dielectric polarization, ionic polarization, interfacial polarization and orientational polarization. This is generally on the account that variations on dielectric properties of biological tissues with the frequency of the electromagnetic field inducement are very dissimilar. While it is very imperative to determine the frequency distribution in deploying the novel 5G network to avoid adverse dielectric dispersion that may flow into the human body.

Open access paper: https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/chemical-polarization-effects-of-electromagnetic-field-radiation/18805704

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New IEEE paper questions safety of exposure to 5G cell phone radiation
There has been considerable public pressure in many countries including the U.S. to stop deployment of 5G due to potential health risks. Most of the attention has focused on the cell towers or base stations; however, the safety of using 5G cell phones and other 5G personal devices may be an even greater concern due to the proximity of these devices to our bodies.
A new peer-reviewed paper, "Human Electromagnetic Field Exposure in 5G at 28 GHz," questions the safety of exposure to 5G millimeter waves. The authors found in a simulation study that use of a 5G cell phone at 28 GHz could exceed ICNIRP (i.e. international) radio frequency exposure limits when held at 8 centimeters (i.e., 3 inches) or closer to the head or body. Whereas the ICNIRP exposure limit for the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is 2.0 watts per kilogram averaged over 10 grams of tissue, the FCC limit is 2-3 times more conservative, namely the SAR limit is 1.6 watts per kilogram averaged over only 1 gram of tissue. This means compliance with the FCC exposure limit would require a greater separation distance from the body than 8 centimeters in the U.S.

Although there have been numerous peer-reviewed papers that have raised serious concerns about the safety of exposure to 5G radiation and/or millimeter waves, this new paper is significant because it is published in an industry-sponsored journal, the November/December issue of IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine.
Seungmo Kim, Imtiaz Nasim. Human Electromagnetic Field Exposure in 5G at 28 GHz. IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine. 9(6):41-48. Nov. 1 2020. DOI: 10.1109/MCE.2019.2956223.
Abstract
The fifth-generation wireless (5G) has already started showing its capability to achieve extremely fast data transfer, which makes itself considered to be a promising mobile technology. However, concerns have been raised on adverse health impacts that human users can experience in a 5G system by being exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This article investigates the human EMF exposure in a 5G system and compares them with those measured in the previous-generation cellular systems. It suggests a minimum separation distance between a transmitter and a human user for keeping the EMF exposure below the safety regulation level, which provides consumers with a general understanding on the safe use of 5G communications.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9090831
Excerpts

"First, we discuss the human EMF exposure in the downlink as well as the uplink. Most of the prior work studies the uplink only, while hardly paying attention to EMF emissions generated by BSs [base stations or cell towers] in a 5G network. Recall the aforementioned changes that the 5G adopts: 1) operation at higher carrier frequencies; 2) reduction of cell size (which leads to increase in number of BSs; and 3) concentration of higher EMF energy into an antenna beam. They all imply that in 5G, unlike the previous-generation wireless systems, the downlink can also be a threat to human health as well as the uplink.

Second, we suggest that both SAR [Specific Absorption Rate] and PD [power density] should be used to display human EMF exposure for a wireless system. The reason is that SAR captures an amount of EMF energy that is actually "absorbed" into human tissues, whereas PD is an efficient metric only to present the EMF energy being introduced to a human user.

Third, we present an explicit comparison of human EMF exposure in 5G to those in the currently deployed wireless standards....

Fourth, we consider the maximum possible exposure that a human user can experience...."
"... in a 5G network, a consumer is likely to be exposed to high EMF energy more consistently. Nevertheless, it is easier to apply a "compliance distance" [17] in a downlink than in an uplink. Thus, this article suggests 1) an overhaul of the compliance distances defined in different standards and 2) the consumers' discretion on being close to a BS...."
"... the fact that a high-frequency EMF cannot penetrate deep into human skin does not mean that it is not dangerous. Specifically, although the penetration is limited only at the skin surface, the SAR (illustrated as a heat map in Figure 4) can be higher within the concentrated area, which can cause subsequent health problems such as skin heating."
Downlink vs. Uplink

"Figure 3(c) and (d) compare PD and SAR in uplink to the ICNIRP guidelines set at 10 W/m2 and 2W/kg, respectively. PD and SAR are remarkably higher in uplink than those in downlink, shown via a comparison of the results for uplink to those for downlink shown in Figure 3(a) and (b). It is attributed to smaller separation distance between a transmitter and a human body. Imagine one talking on a voice call; it is a "direct" physical contact of the phone and the head!

Also, it is significant to notice that no regulation exists at 28 GHz where this article investigates for 5G. As such, we refer to the ICNIRP's guideline that is set to be 2 W/kg by ICNIRP[11] at a frequency "below 10 GHz." In Figure 3(d), it provides a ""inferred" understanding on SAR in an uplink. The zoom-in look shown in Figure 3(d) suggests that in 5G, use of a handheld device within the distance of 8 cm causes an EMF absorption exceeding 2 W/kg, which would have been prohibited if the carrier frequency was lower than 10 GHz. This implies the gravity of human EMF exposure in an uplink of 5G."

Conclusion

"This article has discussed human EMF exposure in 5G operating at 28 GHz, while most of the prior work focuses only on the technological benefits that the technology brings. Considering the significance of wireless technologies in our daily life, the potential danger of using them should also be emphasized for sustainable advancement of the technologies. In this article, the first case study has demonstrated how much EMF exposure is caused in a 5G system compared to 4G and 3.9G. Then, the latter case study has suggested an adequate separation distance from a transmitter, in order to keep a human user from being exposed to EMF below a regulatory guideline. This article is expected to ignite continued interest in overarching research on the design of future wireless systems that achieve high performance while keeping consumer safety guaranteed.

However, considering the gravity of this issue, we suggest several directions to be achieved in our future research.

  • Human EMF exposure mitigation strategy: We are particularly interested in exploiting the technical features in future wireless systems—i.e., a larger number of BSs within a unit area. Such a paradigm change will enable a holistic, network-based approach to mitigate the EMF exposure as an optimization problem with a set of constraints representing the PD, SAR, and skin-temperature elevation.

  • Further studies regarding exact human health impacts caused by EMF exposure: The particular focus will be put on 1) skin dielectric effect with respect to frequency and 2) the effect of radiation when the body is covered with clothing or garment materials."

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Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios

Sven Kuehn, Serge Pfeifer, Beyhan Kochali, Niels Kuster. Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios. Final Report of Project CRR-816. A report on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Zurich, IT'IS Foundation. 24 June 2019.
Executive Summary

In January 2019, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) mandated the IT'IS Foundation to evaluate the total human exposure in hypothetical 5G mobile networks for varied topologies and user scenarios to identify factors that would minimize the total exposure of the population. In this study, total exposure is defined as the combined exposure from network base stations, the user's own device, as well as bystanders' mobile devices.

The influence of various factors on total exposure in mobile communication networks (as defined above) was modeled and analyzed with the help of the Monte Carlo simulation technique. Total exposure is described as the local peak specific absorption rate (SAR) spatially averaged over any 10 g of tissue mass (psaSAR10g) averaged over a period of 6 minutes. The unit psaSAR10g was chosen because it defines the governing basic restriction for wireless exposure as the whole-body average SAR limits (wbaSAR) are intrinsically met if the limits of local exposure are satisfied. The averaging duration of 6 minutes constitutes the internationally accepted averaging time to prevent thermal hazards at frequencies below 6 GHz as instant values have little justification. However, it should be noted that some regulators define shorter averaging time periods, e.g., the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of 100 s.

In a first step, we analyzed the tissue-specific exposure as a function of frequency. The preliminary dosimetric study showed that exposure of the human brain to the 3.6 GHz band, that has been recently added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor of >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile network operation at <1 GHz. This reduction is due to the smaller penetration depth at higher frequencies. This conclusion, however, does not apply to exposed tissues close to the surface or skin (eyes, testicles, etc.) when the peak SAR in this tissue is evaluated. The peak SAR in the grey matter remains in approximately the same order of magnitude ( 3 dB) over all frequencies but the area of high exposure is reduced at 3.6 GHz.

In a second step, we used data measured in 4G systems and analyzed the latest mobile network standards to extrapolate the exposures for various 5G network scenarios. These measured data were also used to extrapolate the exposure to the future development of data usage in 5G networks.

Specifically, we analyzed the effect on the total exposure of (i) the network topology by varying the cell size and amount of indoor coverage in the network, as well as the usage of (ii) an individual's own device, and (iii) devices of close bystanders.

The results – based on simulations of more than 200 different exposure scenarios – reveal that, for all user types, except for non-users (including passive mobile phone users and users dominantly using downlink data traffic, e.g., video streaming), total exposure is dominated by the person's own mobile device. Compared to non-users, the exposure is increased (i) for light users (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or a factor of 4 to 10), (ii) for moderate users (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or a factor of 20 to >300), and (iii) for heavy users by 15 – 40 dB (or a factor of 30 to >10000). Further, the results show that peak exposure of non-users is not defined by exposure to base stations but by exposure to mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna.

While a reduction of the mobile cell size leads to a reduction in total exposure by a factor of 2 to10 for people actively using their mobile devices, this might also lead to a small increase by a factor of 1.6 in total exposure of non-users due the generally increased incident signal levels from the surrounding base stations.

Similarly, the exposure of active users can be reduced by a factor of 4 to 600 by increasing the indoor network coverage. Yet, in line with the results for the mobile cell sizes, increased indoor coverage will also lead to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. This increase, however, starts at a level 1000 times lower than the typical total exposure of active users.

The results of this study show that the personal mobile device is the dominant exposure source for active mobile network users. Besides a person's own usage behavior, total exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network with a lower path loss, i.e., smaller cells and additional indoor coverage, helps to reduce total exposure. The exposure per transmitted bit is reduced by a factor of <3 by the increased spectral efficiency of the 5G technology, and the reduced penetration depth associated with the new bands at 3.5 – 3.8 GHz.

The results presented above are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated in this report. Furthermore, it only considers time-averaged (6 min) and not instant exposures. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links, for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and (iii) millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks.
Conclusions
The results of this study show that the absorption of energy by the human brain, resulting from exposure to the 3.6 GHz band newly added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile networks operating at <1 GHz, and by a factor of >2 when compared to the frequency bands at 1.8 – 2GHz. For deep brain regions, the reduction is much larger.
The reduced exposure for these regions is due to lower penetration depths at higher frequencies. Close to the surface (eyes, testicles, etc.) the exposure can be higher. At the most exposed surface of the grey matter, the values remain approximately 3 dB over all frequencies whereas the area of high exposure is reduced.
More than 200 Monte Carlo simulated exposure scenarios have been analyzed to evaluate total human exposure in 5G Networks for different topologies and user scenarios. The results show that for all users (except non-users), the total exposure is dominated by a person's own mobile device. Compared to a non-user, the exposure is increased for a light user (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or by a factor 4 to 10), for a moderate user (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or by a factor of 20 to >300), and for a heavy user by 25 – 40 dB (or a factor of 300 to >10000). The peak exposure of non-users is further not defined by exposure to surrounding base stations but by mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas, resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna.

Reducing the diameter of the mobile cell leads to a decreased overall exposure by a factor of 2 to 10 for people who actively use their mobile devices. At the same time, the reduction in cell size might lead to a small increase by a factor <2 in exposure for non-users. The exposure of active users can be reduced by factors ranging from 4 to 600 by increasing indoor network coverage which, in turn, will be linked to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. However, such an increase is by a factor 1000 lower than the typical exposure of active users. The results of this study are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated earlier in this report. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO and multi-user MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links – for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and (iii) millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks.

In summary, the results of this study show that the user's own mobile device is the dominant source of exposure for the population of active mobile network users. Besides personal usage patterns, totl exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network that decreases the path loss by means of smaller cells and additional indoor coverage will help to reduce the total exposure of the population.

https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/en/dokumente/elektrosmog/externe-studien-berichte/modelling-of-total-exposure-in-hypothetical-5g-mobile-networks-for-varied-topologies-and-user-scenarios.pdf.download.pdf/Modelling%20of%20Total%20Exposure%20in%20Hypothetical%205G%20Networks%20-%20Schlussbericht.pdf
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Oct 14, 2020
5G Research from the EMF-Portal Archive
As of June 1, 2020, the EMF-Portal archive listed 133 papers and letters to the editor published in professional journals and presentations at professional conferences that focus on 5G research. Although most discuss technical or dosimetric issues (n = 92), 41 citations address other issues including potential biologic or health effects.
In all, the EMF-Portal archive references more than 30,000 publications and presentations on non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. The Portal is a project based at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany.

Currently, no peer-reviewed, empirical studies of the biologic or health effects from actual exposure to 5G radiation have been published. Hence, those who claim that 5G is safe because it complies with radiofrequency exposure guidelines are engaging in sophistry.
These guidelines were designed to protect the population from short-term heating (or thermal) risks. However, numerous peer-reviewed studies have found adverse biologic and health effects from exposure to low-intensity or non-thermal levels of electromagnetic fields (EMF). Hence, more than 240 EMF scientists who have signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal have recommended that "guidelines and regulatory standards be strengthened":
"Numerous recent scientific publications have shown that EMF affects living organisms at levels well below most international and national guidelines….
The various agencies setting safety standards have failed to impose sufficient guidelines to protect the general public, particularly children who are more vulnerable to the effects of EMF."
To download the list of 133 papers and presentations: bit.ly/EmfPortal5G
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5G Wireless Deployment and Health Risks: Time for a Medical Discussion
Priyanka Bandara, Tracy Chandler, Robin Kelly, Julie McCredden, Murray May, Steve Weller, Don Maisch, Susan Pockett, Victor Leach, Richard Cullen, Damian Wojcik. 5G Wireless Deployment and Health Risks: Time for a Medical Discussion in Australia and New Zealand. ACNEM Journal. 39(1). July 2020.
No abstract.
Excerpts

"There is an urgent need for clinicians and medical scientists in the Australia-New Zealand region to engage in an objective discussion around the potential health impacts of the fifth generation (5G) wireless technology currently being deployed. The statements of assurance by the industry and government parties that dominate the media in our region are at odds with the warnings of hundreds of scientists actively engaged in research on biological/health effects of anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation/fields (EMR/EMF). (1) There have been worldwide public protests as well as appeals by professionals and the general public (2) that have compelled many cities in Europe to declare moratoria on 5G deployment and to begin investigations. In contrast, there is no medically-oriented professional discussion on this public health topic in Australia and New Zealand, where 5G deployment is being expedited. 5G is untested for safety on humans and other species and the limited existing evidence raises major concerns that need to be addressed. The vast body of research literature on biological/health effects of 'wireless radiation' (radiofrequency EMR) (3,4) indicates a range of health-related issues associated with different types of wireless technologies (1G-4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, Radar, radio/TV transmission, scanning and surveillance systems). These are used in a wide range of personal devices in common use (mobile/cordless phones, computers, baby monitors, games consoles etc) without users being aware of the health risks. Furthermore, serious safety concerns arise from the extra complexity of 5G as follows:
• 5G carrier waves use a much broader part of the microwave spectrum including waves with wavelengths in the millimetre range (hence called 'millimetre waves') which will be used in the second phase of 5G). Until now, millimetre waves have had limited applications such as radar, point-to-point communications links and non-lethal military weapons. (5)
• Extremely complex modulation patterns involving numerous frequencies form novel exposures.
• Beam formation characteristics can produce hotspots of high unknown intensities.
• A vast number of antenna arrays will add millions of microwave transmitters globally in addition to the existing RF transmitters thereby greatly increasing human exposure. This includes 5G small cell antennas to be erected every 200-250 metres on street fixtures, such as power poles and bus shelters, many of which will be only metres from homes with the homeowners having absolutely no say in where the antennas will be located.

This massive leap in human exposure to RF-EMR from 5G is occurring in a setting where the existing scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates biological interference, (3,4) therefore suggesting the need to urgently reduce exposure...."
"As for the new 5G technology, it is concerning that leading experts in the technical field (6) have reported the possibility of damaging thermal spikes under the current exposure guidelines (from beam forming 5G millimetre waves that transfer data with short bursts of high energy) and some animals and children may be at an increased risk due to smaller body size. Even working within the entirely thermally-based current regulatory process, they pointed out 5G millimetre waves "may lead to permanent tissue damage after even short exposures, highlighting the importance of revisiting existing exposure guidelines". (6) Microwave experts from the US Air Force have reported on 'Brillouin Precursors' created by sharp transients at the leading and trailing edges of pulses of mm waves, when beam forming fast millimetre waves create moving charges in the body which penetrate deeper than explained in the conventional models, and have the potential to cause tissue damage. (7) In fact, concerns about moving charges affecting deep tissue are associated with other forms of pulsed RF radiation currently used for wireless communications. This may be one factor explaining why the pulsed radiation used in wireless communication technologies is more biologically active than continuous RF radiation. (8) Such effects of high energy 5G mm waves could have potentially devastating consequences for species with small body size and also creatures that have innate sensitivity to EMF, which include birds and bees that use nature's EMFs for navigation. (9) Unfortunately, non-thermal effects and chronic exposure effects are not addressed in the current guidelines. (10)"
"Our investigation into the scientific literature has found RF-EMR to be a potent inducer of oxidative stress even at so-called "low-intensity" exposures (which are in fact billions of times higher than in nature (26)) such as those from commonly used wireless devices. An analysis (22) of 242 publications (experimental studies) which had investigated endpoints related to oxidative stress - biomarkers of oxidative damage such as 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (indicating oxidative DNA damage) and/or altered antioxidant levels - revealed that 216 studies (89%) had reported such findings (Fig. 1). This evidence base on RF-associated oxidative stress from 26 countries (only one study from Australia and none from New Zealand) is relatively new and mostly post 2010, i.e. after the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified RF-EMR as a Group 2B possible carcinogen. Moreover, 180 studies out of the 242 (74.7%) were in vivo studies (including several human studies) which presents strong evidence.
"Proponents of 5G often dismiss concerns about health risks claiming that 5G microwaves will minimally penetrate the skin and therefore any effects are limited to minor skin heating (and they acknowledge that there is some uncertainty around heating effects on the eyes). The medical community understands that skin is the largest organ of the human body and a key part of the neuro-immune and neuro-endocrine systems. Natural UVA and UVB (also so-called non-ionizing radiation) that penetrate the skin less than 5G millimetre waves have profound effects on health and wellbeing of humans. Therefore, artificial 5G waves must be subjected to rigorous safety testing."
"Unfortunately, the questionable conduct of regulatory agencies such as ARPANSA and WHO's international EMF Project (43) with conflicts of interest due to funding links to the wireless industry (44) remains to be investigated. More open questioning and protests are appearing in Europe and North America where there is some level of engagement on the part of government bodies in response to warnings of adverse health effects of anthropogenic EMF/EMR by expert medical bodies such as EUROPAEM and AAEM (31,32) (despite industry opposition)."
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5G Communication Technology and Coronavirus Disease [Health Matters]
James C. Lin. 5G Communication Technology and Coronavirus Disease [Health Matters]. IEEE Microwave Magazine, 21(9):16-19. Sep 2020.

No abstract.
Excerpts
"The fact is that there is no link between the COVID-19 virus and 5G cell phone technology or 5G base-station communication towers. These are totally different constructs; they are not even close. None of the conspiracy theories that try to link 5G and the coronavirus make any sense scientifically."
"For biological matters, it is not obvious whether the biological responses to high-band 5G radiation will be akin to earlier generations or low-band 5G radiations, given the distinctive characteristics of mm-wave [millimeter wave] and its interaction with the complex structure and composition of pertinent biological tissues."
"It is important to note that the recent NTP and Ramazzini RF exposure studies presented similar findings in terms of heart schwannomas and brain gliomas. Thus, two relatively well-conducted RF exposure studies employing the same strain of rats showed consistent results in significantly increased cancer risks. More recently, an advisory group for the IARC has recommended including reevaluation of the carcinogenicity of human exposure to RF radiation, with high priority, in their monograph series [7]."
"... the 5G frequency domain is divided into low, mid, and high bands. The operating frequencies at low and mid bands can overlap with the current 4G band at 6 GHz or below. Thus, the biological effects of RF radiation at these lower frequency bands are likely to be comparable to 2, 3, or 4G. However, the scenarios of high-band 5G—especially for 24–60 GHz in the mm-wave region for high-capacity, short-range wireless data communications—are relatively recent arrivals and pose considerable challenge to health risk assessment. There is a paucity of data on permittivity and coupling, such as reflection, transmission, and induced energy deposition, in biological tissues in the mm-wave frequency band."
"Induced energy deposition increases with mm-wave frequency. However, at the highest frequencies, the energy deposition in the deeper regions inside the skin is lower because of the reduced penetration depth at these frequencies [11]."
"A recently published review [13] included 45 in vivo studies conducted using laboratory animals and other biological preparations and 53 in vitro studies involving primary cells and cultured cell lines.... This industry-supported review noted that, aside from the wide frequency ranges, the studies were diverse both in subjects and in the end points investigated. Biological effects were observed to occur both in vivo and in vitro for different biological endpoints studied. Indeed, the percentage of positive responses at nonthermal levels in most frequency groups was as high as 70%."
"While many of these investigations with mm-wave exposures reported biological responses, there is inconsistency in the dependence of biological effects and mm-wave intensity used for exposure. Also, the reported in vitro and in vivo laboratory investigations are modest in number and diverse in subject matter, considering the wide 5G/mmwave frequency domain. The jury on the biological effect or health impact is still out on 5G. Moreover, there is a lack of ongoing controlled laboratory investigations. Simply put, the existing scientific data are too limited for any reliable assessment or conclusion with certainty."
https://ieeexplore-ieee-org/document/9154657

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Setting Guidelines for Electromagnetic Exposures and Research Needs
Barnes F, Greenebaum B. Setting Guidelines for Electromagnetic Exposures and Research Needs. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020 Jul;41(5):392-397. doi: 10.1002/bem.22267.
Abstract

Current limits for exposures to nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) are set, based on relatively short-term exposures. Long-term exposures to weak EMF are not addressed in the current guidelines. Nevertheless, a large and growing amount of evidence indicates that long-term exposure to weak fields can affect biological systems and might have effects on human health. If they do, the public health issues could be important because of the very large fraction of the population worldwide that is exposed. We also discuss research that needs to be done to clarify questions about the effects of weak fields. In addition to the current short-term exposure guidelines, we propose an approach to how weak field exposure guidelines for long-term exposures might be set, in which the responsibility for limiting exposure is divided between the manufacturer, system operator, and individual being exposed.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32311139/
Excerpts
"Both IEEE and ICNIRP base their analyses on rigorous reviews of the scientific literature and on established firm evidence of health effects in humans. The present guidelines are based on acute exposures; to date both IEEE and ICNIRP have not found sufficient evidence to include health effects of long-term exposures at lower levels. However, over the last 20 years the evidence has become extremely strong that weaker EMF over the whole range for frequencies from static through millimeter waves can modify biological processes. There is now solid experimental evidence and supporting theory showing that weak fields, especially but not exclusively at low frequencies, can modify reactive free radical concentrations and that changes in radical concentration and that of other signaling molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide and calcium, can modify biological processes …"
"The evidence that weak radiofrequency (RF) and low-frequency fields can modify human health is still less strong, but the experiments supporting both conclusions are too numerous to be uniformly written off as a group due to poor technique, poor dosimetry, or lack of blinding in some cases, or other good laboratory practices. Based on recent studies by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) [SmithRoe et al., 2020] and the Ramazzini Foundation [Falcioni et al., 2018] as well as laboratory data, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has declared RF fields as possible human carcinogens [IARC, 2013]. A recent paper extends the NTP studies by evaluating genotoxicity in animals exposed to fields at or over the guideline limits and found DNA damage in Comet assays [SmithRoe et al., 2020]. Many other papers indicate similar results, but many negative results are also in the literature."

"PROPOSED APPROACH TO SETTING EXPOSURE LIMITS

From these and other lines of solid research, the guidelines for exposure could be revised. Increased emphasis on long-term exposures may require refining the concept of dose to more flexibly combine exposure time and field intensity or energy absorbed. Eventual guidelines might suggest limiting cell phone calls to X hours per day with exposure levels above Y W/m2, and for Z days per week exposure should be less than Y W/m2 to allow the body to reset its baseline."

"What is missing in the current guidelines or regulations are guidelines for long-term exposure to weak EMF…."

"Guidelines should be set at three levels: the individual user, local company, and national or international level…. External guidance, in terms of informed recommendations or at least analysis of various intensities and styles of usage from some agency such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or NIH, would be useful.

Limits on the time for operations of base stations and exposures in adjacent living spaces are not controlled by the user and must be set by competent authorities, based on scientific evidence. It is likely to be difficult to specify times when exposures to RF signals are zero or below some limit. What will be needed is being able to say with some certainty that exposure below a given level has not been shown to cause changes in body chemistry above some level. A starting point might be current levels from TV and radio stations that are large enough to give signal-to-noise ratios around 20 dB (100-fold) with typical receiving systems. Currently, mean values for the population's exposure to these systems are estimated to be around 0.1 V/m and peak exposures range up to 2 V/m, which exceed current exposure limits for a small fraction of the population. Therefore, one starting point for exposure limits might be an average of 0.1 V/m, not based on research but on practicality, until further research results dictate either a lower or higher limit."

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Effects of 5G Wireless Communication on Human Health
Karaboytcheva M. Effects of 5G wireless communication on human health. European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS). Briefing document: PE 646.172. March 2020.
Summary
The fifth generation of telecommunications technologies, 5G, is fundamental to achieving a European gigabit society by 2025.
The aim to cover all urban areas, railways and major roads with uninterrupted fifth generation wireless communication can only be achieved by creating a very dense network of antennas and transmitters. In other words, the number of higher frequency base stations and other devices will increase significantly.
This raises the question as to whether there is a negative impact on human health and environment from higher frequencies and billions of additional connections, which, according to research, will mean constant exposure for the whole population, including children.
Whereas researchers generally consider such radio waves not to constitute a threat to the population, research to date has not addressed the constant exposure that 5G would introduce. Accordingly, a section of the scientific community considers that more research on the potential negative biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) and 5G is needed, notably on the incidence of some serious human diseases. A further consideration is the need to bring together researchers from different disciplines, in particular medicine and physics or engineering, to conduct further research into the effects of 5G.
The EU's current provisions on exposure to wireless signals, the Council Recommendation on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz), is now 20 years old, and thus does not take the specific technical characteristics of 5G into account.
In this Briefing
  • Difference between 5G and current technology
  • Regulation of electromagnetic fields and 5G exposure
  • European Parliament Research on EMF and 5G effects on human health
  • Stakeholders' views
  • The road ahead for 5G
Open access paper: https://bit.ly/EUParl5G
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Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions
Kostoff RN, Heroux P, Aschner M, Tsatsakis A. Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions. Toxicology Letters. 323(1):35-40. May 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.01.020.



Highlights

• Identifies wide-spectrum of adverse health effects of non-ionizing non-visible radiation
• Most laboratory experiments were not designed to identify the more severe adverse effects reflective of real-life conditions
• Many experiments do not include the real-life pulsing and modulation of the carrier signal
• Vast majority of experiments do not account for synergistic adverse effects of other toxic stimuli with wireless radiation
• 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, but will have adverse systemic effects as well

Abstract

This article identifies adverse effects of non-ionizing non-visible radiation (hereafter called wireless radiation) reported in the premier biomedical literature. It emphasizes that most of the laboratory experiments conducted to date are not designed to identify the more severe adverse effects reflective of the real-life operating environment in which wireless radiation systems operate. Many experiments do not include pulsing and modulation of the carrier signal. The vast majority do not account for synergistic adverse effects of other toxic stimuli (such as chemical and biological) acting in concert with the wireless radiation. This article also presents evidence that the nascent 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, as commonly believed, but will have adverse systemic effects as well.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31991167

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Appeals that matter or not on a moratorium on the deployment of the fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation
Hardell L, Nyberg R. [Comment] Appeals that matter or not on a moratorium on the deployment of the fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation. Molecular and Clinical Oncology. Published online January 22, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2020.1984.

Abstract

Radiofrequency (RF) radiation in the frequency range of 30 kHz‑300 GHz is classified as a 'possible' human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 2011. The evidence has since then been strengthened by further research; thus, RF radiation may now be classified as a human carcinogen, Group 1. In spite of this, microwave radiations are expanding with increasing personal and ambient exposure. One contributing factor is that the majority of countries rely on guidelines formulated by the International Commission on Non‑Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), a private German non‑governmental organization. ICNIRP relies on the evaluation only of thermal (heating) effects from RF radiation, thereby excluding a large body of published science demonstrating the detrimental effects caused by non‑thermal radiation. The fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation is about to be implemented worldwide in spite of no comprehensive investigations of the potential risks to human health and the environment. In an appeal sent to the EU in September, 2017 currently >260 scientists and medical doctors requested for a moratorium on the deployment of 5G until the health risks associated with this new technology have been fully investigated by industry‑independent scientists. The appeal and four rebuttals to the EU over a period of >2 years, have not achieved any positive response from the EU to date. Unfortunately, decision makers seem to be uninformed or even misinformed about the risks. EU officials rely on the opinions of individuals within the ICNIRP and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), most of whom have ties to the industry. They seem to dominate evaluating bodies and refute risks. It is important that these circumstances are described. In this article, the warnings on the health risks associated with RF presented in the 5G appeal and the letters to the EU Health Commissioner since September, 2017 and the authors' rebuttals are summarized. The responses from the EU seem to have thus far prioritized industry profits to the detriment of human health and the environment.

Excerpt
In conclusion, this article demonstrates that the EU has given mandate to a 13‑member, non‑governmental private group, the ICNIRP, to decide upon the RF radiation guidelines. The ICNIRP, as well as SCENIHR, are well shown not to use the sound evaluation of science on the detrimental effects of RF radiation, which is documented in the research which is discussed above (9,10,21‑24,54,55). These two small organizations are producing reports which seem to deny the existence of scientific published reports on the related risks. It should perhaps be questioned whether it is in the realm of protecting human health and the environment by EU and whether the safety of EU citizens and the environment can be protected by not fully understanding the health‑related risks.
Open access paper: https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/mco.2020.1984/download
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Spatial and Time Averaging Restrictions Within the Electromagnetic Exposure Safety Framework in the Frequency Range Above 6 GHz

Neufeld E, Samaras T, Kuster N. Discussion on Spatial and Time Averaging Restrictions Within the Electromagnetic Exposure Safety Framework in the Frequency Range Above 6 GHz for Pulsed and Localized Exposures. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019 Dec 30. doi: 10.1002/bem.22244.

Abstract
Both the current and newly proposed safety guidelines for local human exposure to millimeter-wave frequencies aim at restricting the maximum local temperature increase in the skin to prevent tissue damage. In this study, we show that the application of the current and proposed limits for pulsed fields can lead to a temperature increase of 10°C for short pulses and frequencies between 6 and 30 GHz. We also show that the proposed averaging area of 4 cm2 , that is greatly reduced compared with the current limits, does not prevent high-temperature increases in the case of narrow beams. A realistic Gaussian beam profile with a 1 mm radius can result in a temperature increase about 10 times higher than the 0.4°C increase the same averaged power density would produce for a plane wave. In the case of pulsed narrow beams, the values for the time and spatial-averaged power density allowed by the proposed new guidelines could result in extreme temperature increases.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31885092
Excerpts
.... In this letter, we look at limits, such as those currently proposed or recently approved for the revised ICNIRP guidelines and IEEE standard, and investigate whether such limits are consistent with the stated goals of the exposure safety frameworks of preventing excessive heating in the case of pulsed and/or localized radiation. In cases when they are not consistent, we discuss how consistency can be achieved. In line with the above mentioned safety standards and exposure guidelines, the presented analysis focuses exclusively on the magnitude of the tissue temperature increase as a risk factor and does not consider other aspects, such as the thermoelastic effect related to the rapidity of temperature increase.....
In conclusion, the results presented above demonstrate that, in the case of very short pulses, pulse‐duration‐independent limits imposed on transmitted energy density (fluence) alone cannot preclude the induction of high‐temperature increases in the skin. Pulse‐duration‐dependent limits should be applied also for pulses less than 1 s and possibly less than 30 GHz as well. Even though the amplifiers of the currently developed consumer devices will not allow the full exploitation of the limits of the guidelines, the guidelines should not implicitly rely on this, as they will be used to develop exposure assessment standards with the aim of ensuring safety of any future technology, e.g. IEC/IEEE 63195 [2018]. Accordingly, either assumption must be explicitly stated in the guidelines, or the limits should be adapted to be intrinsically safe. In the absence of limitations applied to the peak‐to‐average power ratio of pulses, it is possible to deliver to the body large amounts of energy within a very short time interval. For millimeter‐wave frequencies, where the absorption is superficial, this results in fast and dramatic temperature rises, as the step response function is proportional to the rapidly rising ... rather than the ... commonly encountered for deeper heating. As far as spatial averaging is concerned, it has been shown that an averaging area smaller than 4 cm2 should be introduced in order to avoid peak PDs in narrow beams [Neufeld and Kuster, 2018] that overheat the tissues. With increasing beam radius, e.g. at larger distances from the antenna(s), the tolerable averaging area increases rapidly, provided that there are no sharp exposure peaks. Duration‐independent limits on the fluence of pulses are not suitable. They should either be replaced by duration‐dependent fluence limits for pulses or by limits on the (temporal) peak exposure. In both cases, the limits should be set after taking narrow‐beam exposures into consideration. These limits will depend on the chosen spatial and temporal averaging schemes and the maximum temperature increase deemed acceptable. Forward‐looking knowledge about the technical needs and priorities of the industry could allow for selecting the balance between thresholds (averaging time and area, peak‐to‐average ratio, PD) to minimally impact the technological potential using the same limit‐setting framework.

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5G mobile networks rated as "high impact" risk for insurance industry
in new Emerging Risk report from Swiss Re

Swiss Re, one of the world's leading providers of insurance and reinsurance, rated 5G as a "high impact" risk for the insurance industry that may affect property and casualty claims in more than 3 years.
Off the leash – 5G mobile networks
"5G – short for fifth generation – is the latest standard for cellular mobile communications. Providing ultrafast broadband connection with higher capacity and lower latency, 5G is not only heaven for your smartphone. It will enable wireless connectivity in real time for any device of the Internet of things (IoT), whether that be autonomous cars or sensor-steered factory. In doing so, it will allow decentralised seamless interconnectivity between devices. To allow for a functional network coverage and increased capacity overall, more antennas will be needed, including acceptance of higher levels of electromagnetic radiation. In some jurisdictions, the rise of threshold values will require legal adaptation. Existing concerns regarding potential negative health effects from electromagnetic fields (EMF) are only likely to increase. An uptick in liability claims could be a potential long-term consequence.
Other concerns are focused on cyber exposures, which increase with the wider scope of 5G wireless attack surfaces. Traditionally IoT devices have poor security features. Moreover, hackers can also exploit 5G speed and volume, meaning that more data can be stolen much quicker. A large-scale breakthrough of autonomous cars and other IoT applications will mean that security features need to be enhanced at the same pace. Without, interruption and subversion of the 5G platform could trigger catastrophic, cumulative damage. With a change to more automation facilitated by new technology like 5G, we might see a further shift from motor to more general and product liability insurance. There are also worries about privacy issues (leading to increased litigation risks), security breaches and espionage. The focus is not only on hacking by third parties, but also potential breaches from built-in hard- or software "backdoors." In addition, the market for 5G infrastructure is currently focussed on a couple of firms, and that raises the spectre of concentration risk. Potential impacts:
· Cyber exposures are significantly increased with 5G, as attacks become faster and higher in volume. This increases the challenge of defence.
· Growing concerns of the health implications of 5G may lead to political friction and delay of implementation, and to liability claims. The introductions of 3G and 4G faced similar challenges.
· Information security and national sovereignty concerns might delay implementation of 5G further, increasing uncertainty for planning authorities, investors, tech companies and insurers.
· Heated international dispute over 5G contractors and potential for espionage or sabotage could affect international cooperation, and impact financial markets negatively.
· As the biological effects of EMF in general and 5G in particular are still being debated, potential claims for health impairments may come with a long latency."
Source: Swiss Re. SONAR – New emerging risk insights. Zurich, Switzerland: Sustainability, Emerging and Political Risk Management, Swiss Re Institute, Strategy Development & Performance Management. May 2019. page 29.
https://www.swissre.com/institute/research/sonar/sonar2019.html

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5G Deployment
Blackman C, Forge S. 5G Deployment: State of Play in Europe, USA, and Asia. Study for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies, European Parliament, Luxembourg, 2019.
Download the report at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2019/631060/IPOL_IDA(2019)631060_EN.pdf

Excerpts

"It is becoming clear that 5G [fifth generation cellular technology] will cost much more to deploy than previous mobile technologies (perhaps three times as much) as it is more complex and requires a denser coverage of base stations to provide the expected capacity. The European Commission has estimated that it will cost €500 billion to meet its 2025 connectivity targets, which includes 5G coverage in all urban areas.
As 5G is driven by the telecoms supply industry, and its long tail of component manufacturers, a major campaign is under way to convince governments that the economy and jobs will be strongly stimulated by 5G deployment. However, we are yet to see significant "demand-pull" that could assure sales. These campaign efforts are also aimed at the MNOs [mobile network operators] but they have limited capacity to invest in the new technology and infrastructure as their returns from investment in 3G and 4G are still being recouped.
The notion of a "race" is part of the campaign but it is becoming clear that the technology will take much longer than earlier generations to perfect. China, for instance, sees 5G as at least a ten-year programme to become fully working and completely rolled out nationally. This is because the technologies involved with 5G are much more complex. One aspect, for example, that is not well understood today is the unpredictable propagation patterns that could result in unacceptable levels of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation."
"Although lower frequencies, many in the UHF [ultra high frequency] range, are being proposed for the first phase of 5G networks, much higher radio frequencies are also projected in bands traditionally used for radars and microwave links. Whether this will transpire is still open to question. These frequencies are being commercially tested by some (e.g. by AT&T in the USA at 28 GHz [gigahertz]). The new bands are well above the UHF ranges, being either in centimetric (3-30 GHz) or in millimetric bands (30-300 GHz) and popularly branded "mmWave", but present technical challenges that are expensive to solve."
"Although many 5G networks currently being piloted will use the much lower bands, those upper frequencies being proposed for the future may offer propagation ranges only in the order of hundreds or even tens of metres. Higher frequency signals are also subject to more interference from weather – rain, snow, fog – and obstacles - wet foliage or buildings and their walls. This means that, at higher frequencies, indoor use may be problematic if based on through-wall or window penetration. Consequently, re-use of the existing UHF bands and also those just above in the 3-10 GHz range ("mid-range") are emphasised today, to give 5G signals greater range with fewer technical challenges."
"With higher frequencies and shortened ranges, base stations will be more closely packed into a given area to give complete coverage that avoids "not-spots". Ranges of 20-150 metres may be typical, giving smaller coverage areas per "small cell". A cell radius of 20 metres would imply about 800 base stations per square kilometre (or small area wireless access points (SAWAPs), the term used in the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC)). That contrasts with 3G and 4G which use large or "macro" cells. Traditionally they offer ranges of 2-15 km or more and so can cover a larger area but with fewer simultaneous users as they have fewer individual channels."
5G Electromagnetic Radiation and Safety
"Significant concern is emerging over the possible impact on health and safety arising from potentially much higher exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation arising from 5G. Increased exposure may result not only from the use of much higher frequencies in 5G but also from the potential for the aggregation of different signals, their dynamic nature, and the complex interference effects that may result, especially in dense urban areas.
The 5G radio emission fields are quite different to those of previous generations because of their complex beamformed transmissions in both directions – from base station to handset and for the return. Although fields are highly focused by beams, they vary rapidly with time and movement and so are unpredictable, as the signal levels and patterns interact as a closed loop system. This has yet to be mapped reliably for real situations, outside the laboratory.
While the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) issues guidelines for limiting exposure to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields (EMF), and EU member states are subject to Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC which follows ICNIRP guidelines, the problem is that currently it is not possible to accurately simulate or measure 5G emissions in the real world."
USA
"The USA is moving towards some form of rollout of mobile broadband as 5G but not necessarily in a holistic, well-orchestrated operation. It is more a set of ad hoc commercial manoeuvres. Some of these are simply rebranding existing LTE, rather than delivering novel networks. Re-use of the LTE spectrum in the UHF ranges (300 MHz to 3 GHz) is significant. The latter decision is probably warranted by its geography of large rural spaces and high density urban centres situated more on the coasts. Thus, the insistence for 5G on high centimetric bands (25–30 GHz and higher) is probably less justified than for the dense conurbations of Asia and the EU.
A significant challenge concerns the administrative local barriers to small cell rollout. The need for many small cells implies long delays and high costs. Local regulations continue to prevail despite the FCC's mandate on a light-touch regime and minimal permit costs. This has led to a wide divide between local and central government on the principles of having to obtain permission for rollout and the charges for that. Local administrations, especially in the larger municipalities, are at loggerheads with the FCC (Zima, 2018). Several court challenges are being made to the FCC mandate of August 2018 that overrides local objections to a "one-touch" regime."
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How Harmful is 5G?

Harald Schumann and Elisa Simantke. How harmful is 5G really? Der Tagesspiegel, Jan 15, 2019. (In German. For English translation email me at jmm@berkeley.edu.)
"5G should transfer huge amounts of data quickly. But it could also harm your health. Europe's governments ignore the danger."
Investigate Europe reports on the current state of the science and exposes the harmful roles that the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the World Health Organization's International EMF Project, and the EU Commission's Scientific Committee on New Health Risks (SCENIHR) have played in paving the way for the deployment of 5G without regard to health consequences.
Investigate Europe is a pan-European journalist team that researches topics of European relevance and publishes the results across Europe. The project is supported by several foundations, the Open Society Initiative for Europe, and readers' donations. Among the media partners for the report on 5G include "Newsweek Polska", "Diario de Noticias", "Il Fatto Quotidiano", "De Groene Amsterdamer", "Efimerida ton Syntakton", "Aftenbladet" and the "Falter". In addition to the authors, Crina Boros, Wojciech Ciesla, Ingeborg Eliassen, Juliet Ferguson, Nikolas Leontopoulos, Maria Maggiore, Leila Minano, Paulo Pena and Jef Poortmans contributed to this.

More about the project: https://www.investigate-europe.eu/publications/the-5g-mass-experiment/
https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/mobilfunk-wie-gesundheitsschaedlich-ist-5g-wirklich/23852384.html
Literature Reviews
5G Wireless Communication and Health Effects-A Pragmatic Review Based on Available Studies Regarding 6 to 100 GHz
Simkó M, Mattsson MO. 5G wireless communication and health effects-A pragmatic review based on available studies regarding 6 to 100 GHz. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Sep 13;16(18). pii: E3406. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16183406.

Abstract


The introduction of the fifth generation (5G) of wireless communication will increase the number of high-frequency-powered base stations and other devices. The question is if such higher frequencies (in this review, 6-100 GHz, millimeter waves, MMW) can have a health impact. This review analyzed 94 relevant publications performing in vivo or in vitro investigations. Each study was characterized for: study type (in vivo, in vitro), biological material (species, cell type, etc.), biological endpoint, exposure (frequency, exposure duration, power density), results, and certain quality criteria. Eighty percent of the in vivo studies showed responses to exposure, while 58% of the in vitro studies demonstrated effects. The responses affected all biological endpoints studied. There was no consistent relationship between power density, exposure duration, or frequency, and exposure effects. The available studies do not provide adequate and sufficient information for a meaningful safety assessment, or for the question about non-thermal effects. There is a need for research regarding local heat developments on small surfaces, e.g., skin or the eye, and on any environmental impact. Our quality analysis shows that for future studies to be useful for safety assessment, design and implementation need to be significantly improved.

Conclusions
Since the ranges up to 30 GHz and over 90 GHz are sparingly represented, this review mainly covers studies done in the frequency range from 30.1 to 65 GHz. In summary, the majority of studies with MMW exposures show biological responses. From this observation, however, no in-depth conclusions can be drawn regarding the biological and health effects of MMW exposures in the 6–100 GHz frequency range. The studies are very different and the total number of studies is surprisingly low. The reactions occur both in vivo and in vitro and affect all biological endpoints studied. There does not seem to be a consistent relationship between intensity (power density), exposure time, or frequency, and the effects of exposure. On the contrary, and strikingly, higher power densities do not cause more frequent responses, since the percentage of responses in most frequency groups is already at 70%. Some authors refer to their study results as having "non-thermal" causes, but few have applied appropriate temperature controls. The question therefore remains whether warming is the main cause of any observed MMW effects?
In order to evaluate and summarize the 6–100 GHz data in this review, we draw the following conclusions:
  • Regarding the health effects of MMW in the 6–100 GHz frequency range at power densities not exceeding the exposure guidelines the studies provide no clear evidence, due to contradictory information from the in vivo and in vitro investigations.
  • Regarding the possibility of "non-thermal" effects, the available studies provide no clear explanation of any mode of action of observed effects.
  • Regarding the quality of the presented studies, too few studies fulfill the minimal quality criteria to allow any further conclusions.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/18/3406
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EMF safety guidelines are fraudulent: The consequences for microwave frequency exposures and 5G
Pall M. Eight repeatedly documented findings each show that EMF safety guidelines do not predict biological effects and are, therefore fraudulent: The consequences for both microwave frequency exposures and also 5G. Second Edition, May 23, 2019.

Abstract

ICNIRP, US FCC, EU and other EMF safety guidelines are all based on the assumption that
average EMF intensities and average SAR can be used to predict biological effects and therefore safety. Eight different types of quantitative or qualitative data are analyzed here to determine whether these safety guidelines predict biological effects. In each case the safety guidelines fail and in most of these, fail massively. Effects occur at approximately 100,000 times below allowable levels and the basic structure of the safety guidelines is shown to be deeply flawed. The safety guidelines ignore demonstrated biological heterogeneity and established biological mechanisms. Even the physics underlying the safety guidelines is shown to be flawed. Pulsed EMFs are in most cases much more biologically active than are non-pulsed EMFs of the same average intensity, but pulsations are ignored in the safety guidelines despite the fact that almost all of our current exposures are highly pulsed. There are exposure windows such that maximum effects are produced in certain intensity windows and also in certain frequency windows but the consequent very complex dose-response curves are ignored by the safety guidelines. Several additional flaws in the safety guidelines are shown through studies of both individual and paired nanosecond pulses. The properties of 5G predict that guidelines will be even more flawed in predicting 5G effects than the already stunning flaws that the safety guidelines have in predicting our other EMF exposures. The consequences of these findings is that "safety guidelines" should always be expressed in quotation marks; they do not predict biological effects and therefore do not predict safety. Because of that we have a multi-trillion dollar set of companies, the telecommunication industry, where all assurances of safety are fraudulent because they are based on these "safety guidelines."

Open access paper: https://bit.ly/RFguidelinesPall190523

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5G Wireless Telecommunications Expansion: Public Health & Environmental Implications
Russell CL. 5G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications. Environmental Research. 2018 Aug;165:484-495. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.016.
Abstract

The popularity, widespread use and increasing dependency on wireless technologies has spawned a telecommunications industrial revolution with increasing public exposure to broader and higher frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit data through a variety of devices and infrastructure. On the horizon, a new generation of even shorter high frequency 5G wavelengths is being proposed to power the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT promises us convenient and easy lifestyles with a massive 5G interconnected telecommunications network, however, the expansion of broadband with shorter wavelength radiofrequency radiation highlights the concern that health and safety issues remain unknown. Controversy continues with regards to harm from current 2G, 3G and 4G wireless technologies. 5G technologies are far less studied for human or environmental effects.
It is argued that the addition of this added high frequency 5G radiation to an already complex mix of lower frequencies, will contribute to a negative public health outcome both from both physical and mental health perspectives.
Radiofrequency radiation (RF) is increasingly being recognized as a new form of environmental pollution. Like other common toxic exposures, the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF EMR) will be problematic if not impossible to sort out epidemiologically as there no longer remains an unexposed control group. This is especially important considering these effects are likely magnified by synergistic toxic exposures and other common health risk behaviors. Effects can also be non-linear. Because this is the first generation to have cradle-to-grave lifespan exposure to this level of man-made microwave (RF EMR) radiofrequencies, it will be years or decades before the true health consequences are known. Precaution in the roll out of this new technology is strongly indicated.
This article will review relevant electromagnetic frequencies, exposure standards and current scientific literature on the health implications of 2G, 3G, 4G exposure, including some of the available literature on 5G frequencies. The question of what constitutes a public health issue will be raised, as well as the need for a precautionary approach in advancing new wireless technologies.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29655646

Conclusion
Although 5G technology may have many unimagined uses and benefits, it is also increasingly clear that significant negative consequences to human health and ecosystems could occur if it is widely adopted. Current radiofrequency radiation wavelengths we are exposed to appear to act as a toxin to biological systems. A moratorium on the deployment of 5G is warranted, along with development of independent health and environmental advisory boards that include independent scientists who research biological effects and exposure levels of radiofrequency radiation. Sound regulatory policy regarding current and future telecommunications initiative will require more careful assessment of risks to human health, environmental health, public safety, privacy, security and social consequences. Public health regulations need to be updated to match appropriate independent science with the adoption of biologically based exposure standards prior to further deployment of 4G or 5G technology.
Considering the current science, lack of relevant exposure standards based on known biological effects and data gaps in research, we need to reduce our exposure to RF EMR where ever technically feasible. Laws or policies which restrict the full integrity of science and the scientific community with regards to health and environmental effects of wireless technologies or other toxic exposures should be changed to enable unbiased, objective and precautionary science to drive necessary public policies and regulation. Climate change, fracking, toxic emissions and microwave radiation from wireless devices all have something in common with smoking. There is much denial and confusion about health and environmental risks, along with industry insistence for absolute proof before regulatory action occurs (Frentzel-Beyme, 1994; Michaels 2008). There are many lessons we have not learned with the introduction of novel substances, which later became precarious environmental pollutants by not heeding warning signs from scientists (Gee, 2009). The threats of these common pollutants continue to weigh heavily on the health and well being of our nation. We now accept them as the price of progress. If we do not take precautions but wait for unquestioned proof of harm will it be too late at that point for some or all of us?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935118300161

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Towards 5G Communication Systems: Are there Health Implications?
Di Ciaula A. Towards 5G communication systems: Are there health implications? Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Apr;221(3):367-375. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.01.011.
Highlights
• RF-EMF exposure is rising and health effects of are still under investigation. • Both oncologic and non-cancerous chronic effects have been suggested. • 5G networks could have health effects and will use MMW, still scarcely explored. • Adequate knowledge of RF-EMF biological effects is also needed in clinical practice. • Underrating the problem could lead to a further rise in noncommunicable diseases.
Abstract

The spread of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) is rising and health effects are still under investigation. RF-EMF promote oxidative stress, a condition involved in cancer onset, in several acute and chronic diseases and in vascular homeostasis. Although some evidences are still controversial, the WHO IARC classified RF-EMF as "possible carcinogenic to humans", and more recent studies suggested reproductive, metabolic and neurologic effects of RF-EMF, which are also able to alter bacterial antibiotic resistance.


In this evolving scenario, although the biological effects of 5G communication systems are very scarcely investigated, an international action plan for the development of 5G networks has started, with a forthcoming increment in devices and density of small cells, and with the future use of millimeter waves (MMW).

Preliminary observations showed that MMW increase skin temperature, alter gene expression, promote cellular proliferation and synthesis of proteins linked with oxidative stress, inflammatory and metabolic processes, could generate ocular damages, affect neuro-muscular dynamics.

Further studies are needed to better and independently explore the health effects of RF-EMF in general and of MMW in particular. However, available findings seem sufficient to demonstrate the existence of biomedical effects, to invoke the precautionary principle, to define exposed subjects as potentially vulnerable and to revise existing limits. An adequate knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms linking RF-EMF exposure to health risk should also be useful in the current clinical practice, in particular in consideration of evidences pointing to extrinsic factors as heavy contributors to cancer risk and to the progressive epidemiological growth of noncommunicable diseases.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29402696


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Effects of Millimeter Waves Radiation on Cell Membrane - A Brief Review
Ramundo-Orlando A. Effects of millimeter waves radiation on cell membrane - A brief review. J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves. 2010; 30 (12): 1400-1411.
Abstract
The millimeter waves (MMW) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, extending from 30 to 300 GHz in terms of frequency (corresponding to wavelengths from 10 mm to 1 mm), is officially used in non-invasive complementary medicine in many Eastern European countries against a variety of diseases such gastro duodenal ulcers, cardiovascular disorders, traumatism and tumor. On the other hand, besides technological applications in traffic and military systems, in the near future MMW will also find applications in high resolution and high-speed wireless communication technology. This has led to restoring interest in research on MMW induced biological effects. In this review emphasis has been given to the MMW-induced effects on cell membranes that are considered the major target for the interaction between MMW and biological systems.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10762-010-9731-z
Excerpts
"Several studies on the effects induced by millimeter radiation on biological systems have been reported in the literature. Diverse effects have been observed on cell free systems, cultured cells, isolated organs of animals and humans. The subject has been extensively reviewed by Motzkin [17] and more recently by Pakhomov [3]. At the cellular level these effects are mainly on the membrane process and ion channels, molecular complexes, excitable and other structures. Many of these effects are quite unexpected from a radiation penetrating less than 1 mm into biological tissues [3, 18, 19]. However none of the findings described in the above reviews has been replicated in an independent laboratory, thus they cannot be considered as established biological effects."
"…a large number of cellular studies have indicated that MMW may alter structural and functional properties of membranes (Table 2)."
Conclusion
"In this review emphasis has been given to the low-level MMW effects on cell membranes. Above all, it should be mentioned that the reported effects are of a non-thermal character, that is, the action of radiation does not produce essential heating of the biological system or destroy its structure. In this context it appears that no permanent structural change of lipid bilayer could arise under low level (less than 10 mW/cm2) millimeter waves irradiation.
On the other hand, MMW radiation may affect intracellular calcium activities, and, as a consequence, several cellular and molecular processes controlled by Ca2+ dynamics themselves. The effects of MMW radiation on ion transport may be the consequence of a direct effect on membrane proteins as well as on phospholipid domain organization. Water molecules seem to play an important role in these biological effects of MMW radiation. Unfortunately, detailed cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating physiological responses to MMW exposure remain largely unknown.
Usually the search at a molecular level is simpler if we can reduce the complexity of our biological samples. This is the case for cell membranes by using model systems. They can be formed by a simple lipid bilayer without interfering components and they give independence from biological activity that can create complication in searching for electromagnetic fields bioeffects. The emphasis is on the search for molecular mechanisms of the membrane effect induced by MMW with different frequencies and power density. Furthermore, replication studies are needed including good temperature control and appropriate internal control samples. It is also advantageous if the future studies are multidisciplinary, invoking an integration of high quality exposure and effects methodologies.
Clearly a significant amount of accurate experimental work is still required in order to fully understand the interactions between MMW radiation and cell membrane."


Research Papers (updated 11/28/2022)
RF exposure from ten 5G beamforming cell towers (3.6 GHz band) in Germany
Kopacz T, Bornkessel C, Wuschek M. Consideration of current mobile phone antenna technology when determining HF-EMF exposure - project 3619S82463. Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Nov-2022. Report number(s): BfS-RESFOR-208/22. URN(s): urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660.
The report is in German with an English-language executive summary (see below).

Abstract (Google translation)

This research project deals with the metrological recording and analysis of immissions from 5G base stations with beamforming antennas in the 3.6 GHz band. As a basis, measurement methods for determining current, typical and maximum possible immissions were proposed, which suitably take into account the time-varying radiation behavior of the antennas. The maximum possible immissions can be determined either by extrapolation based on the difference in antenna gain between traffic and broadcast beams at the measuring point or by direct measurement when the maximum immission is provoked using a 5G terminal device. Immission measurements at 100 systematically selected measuring points in the vicinity of ten 5G beamforming base stations in the 3.6 GHz band resulted in maximum immissions between 0.2% (0.15 V/m) and 28.9% (17.6 V/m m) the field strength limit of the 26th BImSchV (median 4.7% or 2.9 V/m). The instantaneous immissions without provoked traffic were between 0.04% (0.03 V/m) and 1.1% (0.67 V/m) of the field strength limit value (median 0.08% or 0.05 V/m) and the emissions during typical use (ARD live stream) are only slightly higher, between 0.04% (0.03 V/m) and 1.3% (0.8 V/m) of the field strength limit value (median 0.2% or 0.12V/m). The visibility conditions between the place of immission and the 5G antenna have a major influence on the size of the immission, since significant attenuation also occurs in the 3.6 GHz band due to vegetation. The dependence on the vertical angle between the point of immission and the antenna observed in GSM, UMTS and LTE base stations has changed in the 5G beamforming base stations examined in such a way that the immissions are no longer highest at small but at larger vertical angles. len. If the beam does not act at the point of immission, but is shifted azimuthally or radially by a few tens of meters in the cell, the measurements carried out here showed an average immission reduction of 7.5 dB compared to a direct alignment of the beam to the point of immission. Long-term measurements showed that users were only active sporadically at the time of the measurements. Even with targeted provoked typical use, the 6-minute mean value of the field strength at most points could only be significantly raised above the detection limit of the measuring device by downloading a large file. Immission peaks were usually very limited in time.
Open access paper: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/handle/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660
Summary

The aim of this research project is the measurement-based assessment and analysis of RF-EMF exposure caused by beamforming base station antennas (massive MIMO antennas) used for 5G in the 3.6 GHz band. Suitable measurement methods for determining instantaneous, typical and maximum possible exposure levels are proposed as a basis.
The extrapolation to maximum possible exposure to 5G is based on the measurement of the field strength of the SS/PBCH block (SSB), which is part of the signaling and is radiated periodically. The measurement can be carried out in frequency-selective or code-selective domain. In the case of frequency-selective measurement, care must be taken to ensure that the correct RMS value is recorded. In case a laboratory spectrum analyzer is used, this is done by applying an RMS detector in combination with an observation time, which is adapted to the 5G symbol duration for each recording point. In the case of the Narda SRM-3006 field strength meter, averaging is performed by a video filter with a suitable bandwidth. For code-selective measurements, the Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) is decoded as part of the SSB and its field strength is determined. The code-selective measurement is preferable to the frequency-selective measurement because it is the only way to measure the cell-specific SSB field strength and not only the sum field strengths of all present 5G cells. Code-selective measurement values are also independent of the traffic superimposing the SSB in time.

The usage of beamforming in the 3.6 GHz band, i.e. the time-varying radiation pattern of the base station antenna, poses a great challenge to the exposure assessment with regard to determining the maximum exposure: In the case of multiple SSBs, these are sequentially radiated into different areas of the cell by the broadcast beams. However, the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), which is causing maximum exposure at the measurement point, is radiated via the traffic beams. The radiation characteristics of the traffic and broadcast beams can differ significantly. These differences must be considered by the extrapolation procedure individually for each measurement point depending on its location in the cell. However, this requires that the used antenna patterns of traffic and broadcast beams and the current settings are provided for the corresponding frequency bands by the network operators. Investigations in this research project have shown that this extrapolation procedure works reliably for measurement points having line-of-sight to the base station antenna.

An alternative to the extrapolation to maximum possible exposure is the immediate measurement while maximum exposure is provoked using a 5G user equipment, which is located in the vicinity of the measurement point and is allocated as many resources of the base station as possible by means of an FTP download. In this way, radiation with maximum possible EIRP towards the measurement point is forced. Given the complexity of required data for the extrapolation procedure, this method is a recommendable alternative as the current network utilization in the 3.6 GHz band is very low. However, due to the higher market penetration of 5G terminals expected in the medium term, it is questionable whether it can still be applied reliably in the future.
In the course of the measurements, exposure levels were determined at each ten systematically selected measurement points in the vicinity of ten 5G base stations with massive MIMO antennas in the 3.6 GHz band. On the one hand, the "instantaneous exposure" experienced at the measurement time without provoked utilization of the radio cell and on the other hand the "typical exposure" (i.e. the exposure occurring during a typical use case (TV live streaming)) as well as the "maximum exposure" during provoked utilization of the radio cell were determined. Maximum exposure was investigated by immediate measurement while a 5G user equipment was provoking maximum exposure in the vicinity of the measurement point. In addition to typical exposure levels in case a traffic beam was aligned with the measurement point, for more than half of the measurement points, the typical exposure was determined in case the traffic beam was displaced either horizontally of radially into another area of the cell. Furthermore, the instantaneous and maximum exposure levels to GSM, LTE and LTE/5G-DSS (Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, passive antennas) were determined at each two measurement points in the vicinity of five base stations.

The highest maximum exposure level determined (no. of measurement points n = 96) amounts to 28.9 % (17.7 V/m) of the German safety limits given by the 26th Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (26. BImSchV), which are equal to the reference levels given in ICNIRP 1998 and 2020. The lowest maximum exposure level is 0.2 % (0.15 V/m). Thus, there is a very large range of more than 40 dB. For measurement points with line-of-sight (LOS) to the 5G antenna (n = 56), the range is significantly lower at 27 dB. The mean maximum exposure level over all measurement points is 9.3 % of the reference levels (5.7 V/m, averaged over power) and the median is 4.7 % (2.9 V/m). Compared to the results of the previous studies on LTE and UMTS, the frequency distribution of the maximum exposure levels experiences a broadening towards higher values. However, it should be noted, that in this project only systematically selected measurement points were chosen which tended to have LOS to the antenna and thus above-average exposure levels, whereas the measurement points in the previous studies were also selected randomly.

The highest typical exposure level caused by TV streaming (n = 97) is 1.3 % of the reference levels (0.8 V/m) and the lowest 0.04 % (0.03 V/m, detection threshold of the measuring device), which means that the real typical exposure levels could be even lower at some points. The range is nearly 30 dB both for measurement points with line-of-sight (LOS, n = 57) and without line-of-sight (NLOS, n = 40) to the 5G antenna. Evaluated over all measurement points, the range is only slightly higher at a little more than 30 dB. The mean typical exposure level over all measurement points is 0.4 % of the reference levels (0.27 V/m, averaged over power) and the median is 0.2 % (0.12 V/m).

For the instantaneous exposure levels without provoked utilization of the radio cell (n = 100), the maximum is 1.1 % of the reference levels (0.67 V/m) and the minimum is 0.04 % (0.03 V/m, detection threshold of the measurement device). According to typical exposure levels, the real instantaneous exposure could also be even lower at some points. Over all measurement points, the found range of 29 dB is similar to that of the typical exposure levels. At measurement points without line-of-sight to the antenna (NLOS, n = 40), the range of 22 dB is lower compared to measurement points with line-of-sight to the antenna (LOS, n = 60, 27 dB), which is presumably due to the fact that in NLOS cases, measured values in the order of the magnitude of the detection limit frequently occurred. This can be also observed in the frequency distribution of the measured instantaneous exposure levels, where very low values strongly dominate.
Due to the currently very low network load in the 3.6 GHz band, the measured instantaneous exposure levels are for the most part very close to the theoretically estimated minimum exposure (0.01 % to 0.4 % of the reference levels), which is present when the base station is in idle mode. However, this also demonstrates that an idle 5G base station generates only very low exposure levels. Even typical use cases of a user equipment in the vicinity of the measurement point evoke exposure levels, which are still well below the maximum value. A comparison of the median values of maximum and instantaneous exposure levels shows a difference of 34.5 dB (i.e., a factor of 3,450 with respect to the power). The individual difference factors at the single measurement points ranged between about 7 dB and 48 dB. Only at six of the 96 measurement points, the difference factor was less than 20 dB.
At ten measurement points in the vicinity of five 5G base stations, the instantaneous as well as the maximum exposure values to all mobile radio services (GSM, LTE, LTE/5G-DSS and 5G in the 3.6 GHz band) and frequency bands operated at the base stations were determined. TETRA-BOS was not installed at any of the sites. Furthermore, UMTS was no longer in operation at any of the sites. At all measurement points, the exposure to other mobile radio services (GSM, LTE and LTE/5G-DSS) dominates over the instantaneous as well as the typical 5G exposure. At nine out of ten measurement points, the instantaneous exposure to at least one frequency band of GSM, LTE or LTE/5G-DSS is also higher than the instantaneous as well as the typical exposure to 5G (this applies to both the field strength as well as the percent-age of the reference levels). Only at one measurement point, the highest field strength occurs with typical 5G usage. However, due to the lower reference level, the highest percentage of the reference levels is caused by LTE signals in the 800 MHz band. For the maximum exposure, there is no consistent result: at six out of ten measurement points (each both measurement points around three of five 5G sites), the sum of the maximum exposures to other mobile radio services dominates. At the remaining four measurement points (each both measurement points around two of five 5G sites), the maximum exposure is dominated by 5G. However, the difference factors exhibit a wide range with values between -19 dB (i.e., 5G exposure dominates) and 7 dB (i.e., exposure to other mobile radio services dominates). The maximum exposure levels to 5G at these ten measurement points were in the range of 0.7 % (0.4 V/m) to 25.5 % (15.5 V/m).

The statistical evaluation of the levels of the three different 5G exposure types ("instantaneous", "typical", "maximum") taking into account the location of the outdoor measurement points in relation to the 5G antenna shows that it is obviously not justified to use the distance between the measurement point and the base station antenna as the sole decisive criterion for the assessment of the exposure level. One reason for this is that in this range of distances, the exposure level is strongly influenced by the side lobes and nulls of the vertical antenna pattern. Due to the ability of beamforming antennas to change their direction of the main lobe in the vertical domain, the distance range, in which measurement points are located only in the region of the side lobes will be reduced, but no prediction can be done on this without knowing the actual settings of the base station (vertical scanning range). For a certain distance between measurement point and the base station antenna, the range of the measured exposure levels amounts up to 30 dB. A significant influence on the exposure levels is observed in the line-of-sight conditions between the measurement point and the 5G antenna. At the relatively high frequencies around 3.6 GHz, buildings and even vegetation have a strong attenuation on the propagating waves. However, it should be mentioned that for some non-line-of-sight measurement points, which were covered by a reflected or an edge-diffracted beam, the resulting exposure levels were comparable to exposure levels at measurement points with line-of-sight to the antenna at similar distances. The impact of the vertical angle between base station antenna and the measurement point on the resulting exposure to 5G massive MIMO antennas has changed compared to the results of similar measurements on mobile radio services with passive antennas. Obviously, it can no longer be assumed that the exposure levels at smaller vertical angles (< 10°) are in general higher than those at large vertical angles. For the investigated base stations, on average, the highest maximum exposure levels occurred even in the vertical angle range between 15° and 20°. The orientation of the beam has a significant influence on the resulting exposure. In addition to the typical exposure, while a user equipment was provoking cell load in the vicinity of the measurement point, further measurements of the typical exposure were carried out under the constraint that the active user equipment was no longer close to the measurement point, but at a greater distance of several tens of meters from it, which resulted in an azimuthal or radial displacement of the radiated traffic beam with respect to the location of the measurement point. The displacement of the beam resulted in a median reduction of the exposure levels of around 7.5 dB. The results show that, in areas of the radio cell that are not in the main lobe of the radiated beam, the exposure is on average lower. However, due to reflections and transmission via side lobes, the exposure is still measurable despite the alignment to a different location in the cell.
Long-term measurements at in total five differently located measurement points over each 24 hours around an urban and a rural 5G site in the 3.6 GHz band showed that users were active only very sporadically, which can be observed by very few peaks of the instantaneous exposure. However, the subsequently calculated 6-minute moving average of the exposure is barely affected by the exposure peaks occurring only for a short time. Most of the time, the measured instantaneous exposure at most of the measurement points was low enough to not exceed the detection threshold of the measurement device. When a typical data traffic case in the cell was provoked by a user equipment in the vicinity of the measurement point, the six-minute average exposure could only be significantly increased when downloading a large file of 1 GB. Other use cases such as surfing or video streaming generated only sporadic field strength peaks, but occurred so rarely that they did not significantly affect the six-minute aver-age exposure. The magnitude of the field strength peaks was strongly depending on the location of the measurement point. At an indoor measurement point on the upper floor immediately opposite from the base station antenna, the exposure amounted up to 9.0 % of the reference levels (5.5 V/m). At measurement points in larger distances or at higher vertical angles to the base station antenna, the exposure was clearly lower with values up to around 0.2 % of the reference levels (0.1 V/m).
Open access paper: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/handle/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660

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Sven Kuehn, Serge Pfeifer, Beyhan Kochali, Niels Kuster. Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios. Final Report of Project CRR-816. A report on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). IT'IS Foundation, Zurich. 24 June 2019.
Executive Summary

In January 2019, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) mandated the IT'IS Foundation to evaluate the total human exposure in hypothetical 5G mobile networks for varied topologies and user scenarios to identify factors that would minimize the total exposure of the population. In this study, total exposure is defined as the combined exposure from network base stations, the user's own device, as well as bystanders' mobile devices.

The influence of various factors on total exposure in mobile communication networks (as defined above) was modeled and analyzed with the help of the Monte Carlo simulation technique. Total exposure is described as the local peak specific absorption rate (SAR) spatially averaged over any 10 g of tissue mass (psaSAR10g) averaged over a period of 6 minutes. The unit psaSAR10g was chosen because it defines the governing basic restriction for wireless exposure as the whole-body average SAR limits (wbaSAR) are intrinsically met if the limits of local exposure are satisfied. The averaging duration of 6 minutes constitutes the internationally accepted averaging time to prevent thermal hazards at frequencies below 6 GHz as instant values have little justification. However, it should be noted that some regulators define shorter averaging time periods, e.g., the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of 100 s.

In a first step, we analyzed the tissue-specific exposure as a function of frequency. The preliminary dosimetric study showed that exposure of the human brain to the 3.6 GHz band, that has been recently added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor of >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile network operation at <1 GHz. This reduction is due to the smaller penetration depth at higher frequencies. This conclusion, however, does not apply to exposed tissues close to the surface or skin (eyes, testicles, etc.) when the peak SAR in this tissue is evaluated. The peak SAR in the grey matter remains in approximately the same order of magnitude ( 3 dB) over all frequencies but the area of high exposure is reduced at 3.6 GHz.

In a second step, we used data measured in 4G systems and analyzed the latest mobile network standards to extrapolate the exposures for various 5G network scenarios. These measured data were also used to extrapolate the exposure to the future development of data usage in 5G networks.

Specifically, we analyzed the effect on the total exposure of (i) the network topology by varying the cell size and amount of indoor coverage in the network, as well as the usage of (ii) an individual's own device, and (iii) devices of close bystanders.

The results – based on simulations of more than 200 different exposure scenarios – reveal that, for all user types, except for non-users (including passive mobile phone users and users dominantly using downlink data traffic, e.g., video streaming), total exposure is dominated by the person's own mobile device. Compared to non-users, the exposure is increased (i) for light users (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or a factor of 4 to 10), (ii) for moderate users (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or a factor of 20 to >300), and (iii) for heavy users by 15 – 40 dB (or a factor of 30 to >10000). Further, the results show that peak exposure of non-users is not defined by exposure to base stations but by exposure to mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna.

While a reduction of the mobile cell size leads to a reduction in total exposure by a factor of 2 to 10 for people actively using their mobile devices, this might also lead to a small increase by a factor of 1.6 in total exposure of non-users due the generally increased incident signal levels from the surrounding base stations.

Similarly, the exposure of active users can be reduced by a factor of 4 to 600 by increasing the indoor network coverage. Yet, in line with the results for the mobile cell sizes, increased indoor coverage will also lead to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. This increase, however, starts at a level 1000 times lower than the typical total exposure of active users.

The results of this study show that the personal mobile device is the dominant exposure source for active mobile network users. Besides a person's own usage behavior, total exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network with a lower path loss, i.e., smaller cells and additional indoor coverage, helps to reduce total exposure. The exposure per transmitted bit is reduced by a factor of <3 by the increased spectral efficiency of the 5G technology, and the reduced penetration depth associated with the new bands at 3.5 – 3.8 GHz.

The results presented above are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated in this report. Furthermore, it only considers time-averaged (6 min) and not instant exposures. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links, for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and (iii) millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks.
Conclusions
The results of this study show that the absorption of energy by the human brain, resulting from exposure to the 3.6 GHz band newly added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile networks operating at <1 GHz, and by a factor of >2 when compared to the frequency bands at 1.8 – 2GHz. For deep brain regions, the reduction is much larger.
The reduced exposure for these regions is due to lower penetration depths at higher frequencies. Close to the surface (eyes, testicles, etc.) the exposure can be higher. At the most exposed surface of the grey matter, the values remain approximately 3 dB over all frequencies whereas the area of high exposure is reduced.
More than 200 Monte Carlo simulated exposure scenarios have been analyzed to evaluate total human exposure in 5G Networks for different topologies and user scenarios. The results show that for all users (except non-users), the total exposure is dominated by a person's own mobile device. Compared to a non-user, the exposure is increased for a light user (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or by a factor 4 to 10), for a moderate user (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or by a factor of 20 to >300), and for a heavy user by 25 – 40 dB (or a factor of 300 to >10000). The peak exposure of non-users is further not defined by exposure to surrounding base stations but by mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas, resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna.

Reducing the diameter of the mobile cell leads to a decreased overall exposure by a factor of 2 to 10 for people who actively use their mobile devices. At the same time, the reduction in cell size might lead to a small increase by a factor <2 in exposure for non-users. The exposure of active users can be reduced by factors ranging from 4 to 600 by increasing indoor network coverage which, in turn, will be linked to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. However, such an increase is by a factor 1000 lower than the typical exposure of active users. The results of this study are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated earlier in this report. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO and multi-user MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links – for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and (iii)millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks.

In summary, the results of this study show that the user's own mobile device is the dominant source of exposure for the population of active mobile network users. Besides personal usage patterns, totl exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network that decreases the path loss by means of smaller cells and additional indoor coverage will help to reduce the total exposure of the population.

https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/en/dokumente/elektrosmog/externe-studien-berichte/modelling-of-total-exposure-in-hypothetical-5g-mobile-networks-for-varied-topologies-and-user-scenarios.pdf.download.pdf/Modelling%20of%20Total%20Exposure%20in%20Hypothetical%205G%20Networks%20-%20Schlussbericht.pdf
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El-Hajj AM, Naous T. Radiation Analysis in a Gradual 5G Network Deployment Strategy. 2020 IEEE 3rd 5G World Forum (5GWF), Bangalore, India IEEE, 2020: 448-453, ISBN 9781728173009. (Austin, TX simulation)

Abstract

In a world where many overlapping 2G, 3G, and 4G electromagnetic radiation sources already exist, concerns regarding the potential increase in these radiation levels following the roll-out of 5G networks are growing. The deployment of 5G is expected to increase power density levels drastically, given the limitations of mmWave communications that impose a notably higher number of base stations to cover a given area of interest. In this paper, we propose a gradual deployment strategy of a 5G network for a small area in downtown Austin, Texas, using the already existing 4G LTE sites of the area. The radiated power density of the proposed 5G network is then analyzed according to several electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure limits and compared to the radiation levels of the same area where only the LTE network is present. Simulation results for the selected area demonstrate the significant increase in radiation levels resulting from the addition of 5G cell towers.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9221314
For the frequency range of 2 to 300 GHz, the IEEE C95.1-2019 standard [18] specifies a limit power density value of 10 W/m2 in restricted environment and 50 W/m2 in unrestricted environments. These correspond to an averaging time of 30 minutes. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 2020 guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields [19] specify the general public exposure limit at 10 W/m2 for frequencies between 2 and 300 GHz with the averaging time being 30 minutes. Similar limits are specified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in [20] where a restriction of 10 W/m2 for the general public has been set. In contrast, the institute for building biology and sustainability (IBN) in Germany have specified the exposure limit to be less than 0.1 W/m2 in their 2015 Standard of Building Biology Measurement Technique (SBM-2015) [21], which is a million-fold lower than what is specified by the aforementioned guidelines. This suggests that negative health effects can occur at levels much lower than 10
W/m2. Finally, the Chinese ministry of health [22] have set the power density exposure limit to 0.1 W/m2.This paper presented an analysis of the radiation levels in a deployed 5G network in an urban outdoor environment. Under the constraints of exposure limits, several challenges face the design and planning of such radiation aware 5G networks. Cell ranges need to be reduced to comply with the maximum allowed radiated power, requiring the densification of small cells in small areas and making it more costly to deploy these radiation-aware 5G networks. Although in this work we considered the maximum allowed EIRP prior to network deployment, results showed power density levels that do not satisfy all the exposure limits set by several sources. In this regard, a positive impact can be imposed by radiation-aware 5G networks on several levels. On a governmental level, the exposure limits for the power density need to be revised using today's data and approaches to bridge the gap between the thresholds specified by the different institutes and commissions. On a technological and scientific level, the radiation exposure constraint can open the door for innovative 5G solutions targeted to limit the health risks and economic barriers associated with this problem. This work can be extended by developing an analytical framework to efficiently rank and rate different cell allocation alternatives to minimize the potential radiations given a carefully chosen list of key performance indicators.

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Absorption of 5G radiation in brain tissue as a function of frequency, power and time
David H. Gultekin, Peter H. Siegel. Absorption of 5G radiation in brain tissue as a function of frequency, power and time. IEEE Access. Published online June 12, 2020. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3002183.
Abstract
The rapid release of 5G wireless communications networks has spurred renewed concerns regarding the interactions of higher radiofrequency (RF) radiation with living species. We examine RF exposure and absorption in ex vivo bovine brain tissue and a brain simulating gel at three frequencies: 1.9 GHz, 4 GHz and 39 GHz that are relevant to current (4G), and upcoming (5G) spectra. We introduce a highly sensitive thermal method for the assessment of radiation exposure, and derive experimentally, accurate relations between the temperature rise (ΔT), specific absorption rate (SAR) and the incident power density (F), and tabulate the coefficients, ΔT/ΔF and Δ(SAR)/ΔF, as a function of frequency, depth and time. This new method provides both ΔT and SAR applicable to the frequency range below and above 6 GHz as shown at 1.9, 4 and 39 GHz, and demonstrates the most sensitive experimental assessment of brain tissue exposure to millimeter-wave radiation to date, with a detection limit of 1 mW. We examine the beam penetration, absorption and thermal diffusion at representative 4G and 5G frequencies and show that the RF heating increases rapidly with frequency due to decreasing RF source wavelength and increasing power density with the same incident power and exposure time. We also show the temperature effects of continuous wave, rapid pulse sequences and single pulses with varying pulse duration, and we employ electromagnetic modeling to map the field distributions in the tissue. Finally, using this new methodology, we measure the thermal diffusivity of ex vivo bovine brain tissue experimentally.
Summary
In this paper, we present for the first time, a simple, highly accurate test system for measuring the temperature rise and the specific absorption rate in tissue samples and liquid or gel simulants as a function of frequency, RF exposure power and time – pulsed and CW. We use this set up to make, and compare, carefully calibrated measurements of bovine brain tissue and a gel simulant, Triton X and water, at both 4G (1.9 GHz) and newly allocated 5G frequency bands (4 GHz - 39 GHz). We show the effects of beam concentration, focusing, absorption and heat diffusion at all three frequencies and delineate a linear range over which we can derive highly accurate coefficients (ΔT/ΔF and Δ(SAR)/ΔF) that can be used to predict the temperature rise and the specific absorption rate at prescribed depths and exposure times within the tissue or gel at power levels that go down to detectable limits (<1 mW). This method may be used to evaluate a wide range of RF radiation sources, tissues and simulants.
We also note that the impact of relatively modest incident RF power (1 W) and short exposure times (6 minutes CW and 30 second pulsed) at 39 GHz using a single mode waveguide source for the exposure, results in extremely large power density (16.5 kW/m2) and temperature rise (> 60°C for CW, > 35°C for 30 s pulse) in both bovine brain tissue and gel. This same temperature rise can be expected on skin (which has very similar dielectric properties) when such large surface power densities are present in very close proximity to the RF source or antenna, perhaps emanating from millimeter-wave base stations, handsets, or wireless-enabled appliances or kiosks. Although, current safety limits of 28.76 and 143.8 W/m2 for power density in unrestricted (public) and restricted (occupational) environments, respectively should prevent such exposures, the resulting limits on RF power generation of only 1.7 to 8.5 mW from a directional RF source, such as our waveguide at 39 GHz, in the vicinity, will greatly limit the application potential for any such communications system.
In the USA, the FCC and FDA are overseeing the implementation of millimeter wave technology in the public realm and more studies are needed to help guide the science, technology and policy. Our experimental method can provide threshold temperature and SAR values for both occupational and public exposures to millimeter waves with surface power densities from 16.5 W/m2 to 16.5 kW/m2 and exposure times from 1 second to 30 minutes.
Finally, we use our new data and this RF method to derive a thermal diffusivity coefficient for the ex vivo bovine brain tissue that is consistent with our prior measurements using an MRI. This is the first time that the thermal diffusivity of ex vivo bovine brain tissue has been directly measured by this thermal RF method [47, 50, 51, 70].
Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9115853
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A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on the Measurement of the Electromagnetic Field Level Radiated by 5G Base Stations

Adda S, Aureli T, D'elia S, Franci D, Grillo E, Migliore MD, Pavoncello S, Schettino F, Suman R. A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on the Measurement of the Electromagnetic Field Level Radiated by 5G Base Stations. IEEE Access 2020. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2998448.
Abstract
This paper presents some theoretical considerations and experimental results regarding the problem of maximum power extrapolation for the assessment of the exposure to electromagnetic fields radiated by 5G base stations. In particular the results of an extensive experimental campaign using an extrapolation procedure recently proposed for 5G signal is discussed and experimentally checked on a SU-MIMO signal. The results confirm the effectiveness of the extrapolation technique. Starting from an analysis (that represents a further novel contribution of this paper) on the impact of Spatial Division Multiple Access techniques used in 5G on the measurement of EMF level, some indications of possible extension of the technique to the highly complex MU-MIMO case are also given.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9103530
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Adverse Impacts of 5G Downlinks on Human Body
Nasim I, Kim S. Adverse Impacts of 5G Downlinks on Human Body. 2019 SoutheastCon. Huntsville, AL. 11-14 April 2019. DOI: 10.1109/SoutheastCon42311.2019.9020454
Abstract

The increasing demand for higher data rates and uninterrupted reliable service have made the frequency spectrum above 6 GHz a very promising candidate for future wireless communications because of its massive amount of raw bandwidth and extremely high data transfer capabilities. However, increasing concerns of communications at high frequencies on human health have gained international alarm that suggests more research before it is deployed successfully. In this context, this paper aims to investigate the human electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from fifth-generation (5G) downlink communications and compare its impacts with the present cellular technologies considering the features that the 5G systems will likely adopt. Our simulation results suggest that while the impacts from 5G beamforming communications cross the regulatory borders at downlinks for a very short range between base stations (BSs) and user equipment (UE), the exposure level remains on a high throughout the entire network compared to the present systems. Also, this paper urges for more research on the exposure level from future communications to determine any possible threats below the existing guidelines. This paper also highlights the significance of considering SAR for the measurement of exposure compliance in downlinks.
Excerpt
... this paper urges the regulatory authorities to set SAR guidelines for 5G systems at far-field exposure also for frequencies above 6 GHz. Also, the minimum AP-UE [access point - user equipment] distance should be maintained at least 6 m [meters] for 5G and further space should be left for a conservative operation regarding human safety.
Conclusions
This paper has highlighted the significance of the human EMF exposure issue in the downlink of a cellular communications system. This paper measured the exposure level in terms of PD and SAR and compared them to those calculated in the 3.9G and 4G specifications. Distinguished from the prior art that studied uplinks only, this paper has found that the downlinks of a 5G can also yield a higher level of emissions in terms of SAR compared to concurrent cellular systems. Our results emphasized that this increase stems from more highly concentrated EMF energy per downlink RF beam due to the use of larger phased arrays within small cells of a 5G network. However, only skin effects are being taken into consideration for simplicity. This paper has also suggested the minimum AP-UE distance for human safety in cellular communications at high frequencies such as 28 GHz. To this end, this paper urges to investigate any possible threats at the exposure level shown in this work for future 5G systems before it is finally globalized.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9020454
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A Survey on Electromagnetic Risk Assessment and Evaluation Mechanism for Future Wireless Communication Systems
Jamshed MA, Heliot F, Brown T. A Survey on Electromagnetic Risk Assessment and Evaluation Mechanism for Future Wireless Communication Systems. IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology. May 20, 2019. DOI: 10.1109/JERM.2019.2917766

Abstract

The accurate measurement of electromagnetic exposure and its application is expected to become more and more important in future wireless communication systems, given the explosion in both the number of wireless devices and equipment radiating electromagnetic-fields (EMF) and the growing concerns in the general public linked to it. Indeed, the next generation of wireless systems aims at providing a higher data rate, better quality of service (QoS), and lower latency to users by increasing the number of access points, i.e. densification, which in turn will increase EMF exposure. Similarly, the multiplication of future connected devices, e.g. internet of things (IoT) devices, will also contribute to an increase in EMF exposure. This paper provides a detailed survey relating to the potential health hazards linked with EMF exposure and the different metrics that are currently used for evaluating, limiting and mitigating the effects of this type of exposure on the general public. This paper also reviews the possible impacts of new wireless technologies on EMF exposure and proposes some novel research directions for updating the EMF exposure evaluation framework and addressing these impacts in future wireless communication systems. For instance, the impact of mmWave or massive-MIMO/beamforming on EMF exposure has yet to be fully understood and included in the exposure evaluation framework.

Conclusions

A thorough survey on exposure risk assessment, evaluation, limitation and mitigation for current and future wireless devices and equipment have been provided in this paper. From the human health point of view, it seems that the possibility of brain tumor is still the main cause of concerns related to the extensive use of wireless devices, even though the effects of EMF exposure is now being investigated in new parts of the body (e.g. eyes). Meanwhile, with the advent of 5G, more efforts are now been made to understand the thermal and non-thermal effects of mmWave exposure on the human body. When it comes to the evaluation of EMF exposure, we have presented the most common evaluation frameworks and metrics that are utilized in wireless communications to measure the exposure. We have also explained how new more generic metrics have been defined by combining existing metrics to better reflect the exposure of large geographical areas and have argued that a generic metric for measuring the individual exposure would also be of interest. We have also reviewed the existing exposure guidelines and have explained how they can be updated for better reflecting the true nature of EMF exposure, i.e. by better taking into account the duration of exposure. Finally, we have provided some views on how key 5G enabling technologies such as densification, massive MIMO and mmWave will impact the EMF exposure in the near future; for instance, the dense deployment of small cells and IoT devices is very likely to increase the overall ambient exposure. We also believe that there could be some technical opportunities in 5G to increase the exposure awareness of wireless system users and to let them decide if they want to reduce it at the cost of, for instance, a lower QoS.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8718293
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Assessment of Maximally Allowable Power-Density Averaging Area for EMF Exposure above 6 GHz
Neufeld E, Carrasco E, Murbach M, Balzano Q, Christ A, Kuster N. Theoretical and numerical assessment of maximally allowable power-density averaging area for conservative electromagnetic exposure assessment above 6 GHz. Bioelectromagnetics. 2018 Dec;39(8):617-630. doi: 10.1002/bem.22147.
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to determine a maximum averaging area for power density (PD) that limits the maximum temperature increase to a given threshold for frequencies above 6 GHz. This maximum area should be conservative for any transmitter at any distance >2 mm from the primary transmitting antennas or secondary field-generating sources. To derive a generically valid maximum averaging area, an analytical approximation for the peak temperature increase caused by localized exposure was derived. The results for a threshold value of 1 K temperature rise were validated against simulations of a series of sources composed of electrical and magnetic elements (dipoles, slots, patches, and arrays) that represented the spectrum of relevant transmitters. The validation was successful for frequencies in which the power deposition occurred superficially (i.e., >10 GHz). In conclusion, the averaging area for a PD limit of 10 W/m2 that conservatively limits the temperature increase in the skin to less than 1 K at any distance >2 mm from the transmitters is frequency dependent, increases with distance, and ranges from 3 cm2 at <10 GHz to 1.9 cm2 at 100 GHz. In the far-field, the area depends additionally on distance and the antenna array aperture. The correlation was found to be worse at lower frequencies (<10 GHz) and very close to the source, the systematic evaluation of which is part of another study to investigate the effect of different coupling mechanisms in the reactive near-field on the ratio of temperature increase to incident power density. The presented model can be directly applied to any other PD and temperature thresholds.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30383885
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The Human Skin as a Sub-THz Receiver - Does 5G Pose a Danger to It or Not?

Betzalel N, Ben Ishai P, Feldman Y. The human skin as a sub-THz receiver - Does 5G pose a danger to it or not? Environ Res. 2018 May;163:208-216.
Highlights

• The sweat duct is regarded as a helical antenna in the sub-THz band, reflectance depends on perspiration.
• We outline the background for non-thermal effects based on the structure of sweat ducts.
• We have introduced a realistic skin EM model and found the expected SAR for the 5G standard.


Abstract

In the interaction of microwave radiation and human beings, the skin is traditionally considered as just an absorbing sponge stratum filled with water. In previous works, we showed that this view is flawed when we demonstrated that the coiled portion of the sweat duct in upper skin layer is regarded as a helical antenna in the sub-THz band.

Experimentally we showed that the reflectance of the human skin in the sub-THz region depends on the intensity of perspiration, i.e. sweat duct's conductivity, and correlates with levels of human stress (physical, mental and emotional). Later on, we detected circular dichroism in the reflectance from the skin, a signature of the axial mode of a helical antenna. The full ramifications of what these findings represent in the human condition are still unclear. We also revealed correlation of electrocardiography (ECG) parameters to the sub-THz reflection coefficient of human skin. In a recent work, we developed a unique simulation tool of human skin, taking into account the skin multi-layer structure together with the helical segment of the sweat duct embedded in it. The presence of the sweat duct led to a high specific absorption rate (SAR) of the skin in extremely high frequency band.
In this paper, we summarize the physical evidence for this phenomenon and consider its implication for the future exploitation of the electromagnetic spectrum by wireless communication. Starting from July 2016 the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules for wireless broadband operations above 24 GHz (5 G). This trend of exploitation is predicted to expand to higher frequencies in the sub-THz region. One must consider the implications of human immersion in the electromagnetic noise, caused by devices working at the very same frequencies as those, to which the sweat duct (as a helical antenna) is most attuned.
We are raising a warning flag against the unrestricted use of sub-THz technologies for communication, before the possible consequences for public health are explored.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29459303

Excerpt

The need for high data transmission rates, coupled with advances in semiconductor technology, is pushing the communications industry towards the sub-THz frequency spectrum. While the promises of a glorious future, resplendent with semi-infinite data streaming, may be attractive, there is a price to pay for such luxury. We shall find our cities, workspace and homes awash with 5 G base stations and we shall live though an unprecedented EM smog. The benefits to our society of becoming so wired cannot ignore possible health concerns, as yet unexplored. There is enough evidence to suggest that the combination of the helical sweat duct and wavelengths approaching the dimensions of skin layers could lead to non-thermal biological effects. Such fears should be investigated and these concerns should also effect the definition of standards for the application of 5G communications.


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On Measuring Electromagnetic Fields in 5G Technology
Pawlak R, Krawiec P, Żurek J. On measuring electromagnetic fields in 5G technology. IEEE Access. 7: 29826-29835. March 5, 2019. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2902481

Abstract

At the awakening of the new 5G network as the network of services, issues related to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) will become one of the key aspects for the cost-effective establishment of the 5G infrastructure. The new 5G services will meet the rigorous demand for bandwidth through the implementation of a large number of densely located base stations operating in the millimeter-wave range. Introduction of new emission sources, working in parallel with already existing 2G/3G/4G mobile technologies, raises concerns about exceeding the admissible EMF exposure limits. This paper analyzes issues and challenges related to EMF measurements in 5G technology, which are crucial for the assessment of EMF compliance with regulatory limits. We point out that the existing methodologies, dedicated to EMF measurements in 2G, 3G, and 4G networks, are not suitable for 5G. The reason is the use of new techniques, such as massive MIMO and precise beamforming together with higher frequency bands so that the existing measurement methods can lead to significantly overestimated results when they will be applied to 5G networks. Such results, in conjunction with the restrictive legislation on the EMF limits that apply in some countries, may have the negative impact on 5G network deployment, making it difficult to achieve the intended 5G network capabilities. We also propose an alternative method of EMF exposure assessment that is based on calculations and simulations and allows obtaining an accurate estimation of the EMF distribution in the 5G environment.

Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8660395


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Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Assessment for Future 5G Networks
Persia S, Carciofi C, Barbiroli M, Volta C, Bontempelli D, Anania G. Radio frequency electromagnetic field exposure assessment for future 5G networks. IEEE 29th Annual International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), 2018. IEEE, 2018. doi:10.1109/PIMRC.2018.8580919

Abstract

The fifth generation of mobile network (5G) will relay not only on the expansion of existing fourth (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, but thanks to the introduction of new radio access in the millimetre wave bands will allow to meet new requirements in terms of connectivity and capacity. Specifically, 5G network will be characterized by the use of new spectrum at higher frequencies with a very large number of antenna elements deployment. As a consequence, the RF EMF (Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field) compliance assessments with the regulatory requirements for human exposure for the installation permission needs to be revised accordingly. In this work, a Country case (Italy), where a more restrictive regulatory framework than the ICNIRP Guidelines is applied, has been analysed to investigate the impact of the restrictive approach on the future 5G mobile networks roll-out.

Conclusions

The EMF evaluations of existing cellular networks has been analysed in this work in order to highlight how restrictive regulatory framework than International Guidelines can affect 5G and future network deployment. Italy case study is considered as an example, due to its restrictive regulation to verify if it can permit an efficient 5G roll-out. This consideration has been confirmed by evaluations of the trend of saturated sites from 2010 to 2017 in Italy. Simulations demonstrate that in Italy the strong development expected for the evolution of 4G networks and, in the perspective of 5G systems, can be threatened with the stringent constraints imposed by the current regulatory framework for exposure to electromagnetic fields.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8580919


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Derivation of Safety Limits for 5G RF Exposure Based on Analytical Models & Thermal Dose
Neufeld E, Kuster N. Systematic Derivation of Safety Limits for Time-Varying 5G Radiofrequency Exposure Based on Analytical Models and Thermal Dose. Health Phys. 2018 Sep 21. 705-711. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000000930.

Abstract

Extreme broadband wireless devices operating above 10 GHz may transmit data in bursts of a few milliseconds to seconds. Even though the time- and area-averaged power density values remain within the acceptable safety limits for continuous exposure, these bursts may lead to short temperature spikes in the skin of exposed people. In this paper, a novel analytical approach to pulsed heating is developed and applied to assess the peak-to-average temperature ratio as a function of the pulse fraction α (relative to the averaging time T; it corresponds to the inverse of the peak-to-average ratio). This has been analyzed for two different perfusion-related thermal time constants (τ1 = 100 s and 500 s) corresponding to plane-wave and localized exposures. To allow for peak temperatures that considerably exceed the 1 K increase, the CEM43 tissue damage model, with an experimental-data-based damage threshold for human skin of 600 min, is used to allow large temperature oscillations that remain below the level at which tissue damage occurs. To stay consistent with the current safety guidelines, safety factors of 10 for occupational exposure and 50 for the general public were applied. The model assumptions and limitations (e.g., employed thermal and tissue damage models, homogeneous skin, consideration of localized exposure by a modified time constant) are discussed in detail.

The results demonstrate that the maximum averaging time, based on the assumption of a thermal time constant of 100 s, is 240 s if the maximum local temperature increase for continuous-wave exposure is limited to 1 K and α ≥ 0.1. For a very low peak-to-average ratio of 100 (α ≥ 0.01), it decreases to only 30 s. The results also show that the peak-to-average ratio of 1,000 tolerated by the International Council on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines may lead to permanent tissue damage after even short exposures, highlighting the importance of revisiting existing exposure guidelines.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30247338


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Human Exposure to RF Fields in 5G Downlink
Nasim I, Kim S. Human Exposure to RF Fields in 5G Downlink. Submitted on 10 Nov 2017 to IEEE International Communications Conference. arXiv:1711.03683v1.

Abstract
While cellular communications in millimeter wave (mmW) bands have been attracting significant research interest, their potential harmful impacts on human health are not as significantly studied. Prior research on human exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields in a cellular communications system has been focused on uplink only due to the closer physical contact of a transmitter to a human body. However, this paper claims the necessity of thorough investigation on human exposure to downlink RF fields, as cellular systems deployed in mmW bands will entail (i) deployment of more transmitters due to smaller cell size and (ii) higher concentration of RF energy using a highly directional antenna. In this paper, we present human RF exposure levels in downlink of a Fifth Generation Wireless Systems (5G). Our results show that 5G downlink RF fields generate significantly higher power density (PD) and specific absorption rate (SAR) than a current cellular system. This paper also shows that SAR should also be taken into account for determining human RF exposure in the mmW downlink.

https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.03683


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Implications of EMF exposure limits on output power levels for 5G devices above 6 GHz

Colombi D, Thors B, Törnevik C. Implications of EMF exposure limits on output power levels for 5G devices above 6 GHz. IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters. 14:1247-1249. 04 February 2015. DOI: 10.1109/LAWP.2015.2400331.
Abstract
Spectrum is a scarce resource, and the interest for utilizing frequency bands above 6 GHz for future radio communication systems is increasing. The possible use of higher frequency bands implies new challenges in terms of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure assessments since the fundamental exposure metric (basic restriction) is changing from specific absorption rate (SAR) to power density. In this study, the implication of this change is investigated in terms of the maximum possible radiated power (P max ) from a device used in close proximity to the human body. The results show that the existing exposure limits will lead to a non-physical discontinuity of several dB in P max as the transition is made from SAR to power density based basic restrictions. As a consequence, to be compliant with applicable exposure limits at frequencies above 6 GHz, P max might have to be several dB below the power levels used for current cellular technologies. Since the available power in uplink has a direct impact on the system capacity and coverage, such an inconsistency, if not resolved, might have a large effect on the development of the next generation cellular networks (5G).
Conclusion
Above 6 GHz for FCC and 10 GHz for ICNIRP, EMF exposure limits are defined in terms of free-space power density rather than SAR. It was shown that at the transition frequency where the exposure metric changes, the maximum radiated power to meet compliance with ICNIRP and FCC EMF limits, for a device used in close proximity of the body, presents a strong discontinuity (in the order of 6 dB for the investigated case). This discrepancy has no scientific basis and is due to inconsistencies in the exposure limits. As a consequence, the estimated maximum output power in uplink for devices operating at frequencies above 6-10 GHz is about 18 dBm and 15 dBm for ICNIRP and FCC, respectively. These figures were obtained by numerical simulations of a canonical dipole at frequencies up to 70 GHz. It was shown that for more directive antennas, the maximum available power can be substantially lower. For the IEEE limits, the incongruity at the transition frequency is less evident. This is because the IEEE PD limits make use of a larger averaging area than the ICNIRP and FCC limits. The IEEE limits, however, have not yet been adopted in any national regulations.
With a growing interest for utilizing frequency bands above 6 GHz for mobile communications, it is important that the inconsistencies at the transition frequency from SAR to PD based basic restrictions are timely solved. If not, the observed discrepancy might have a large impact on the development of future mobile communication networks. We therefore encourage the relevant standardization organizations and regulatory authorities responsible for defining EMF exposure limits to address this issue.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7031364

Expert Opinions

May 20, 2019

5G: The Unreported Global Threat

Devra Davis, PhD, Medium, May 18, 2019

https://medium.com/@devradavis/5g-the-unreported-global-threat-717c98c9c37d

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Aug 18, 2017 (Updated Sep 27, 2017)
Scientists and Physicians Oppose
"Small Cell" Antenna Bill (Calif. SB 649)

I have been hearing from scientists around the world who are deeply concerned about the deployment of fifth generation (5G) wireless technology without adequate research on the health effects of exposure to this type of radio frequency radiation.

Following is a sample of letters sent to California Governor Brown asking him to veto SB 659, a "small cell" antenna bill written by the cellular industry that paves the way for deployment of 5G wireless technology across the state.

Professor Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Golomb's letter begins with the following warning:
"I urge in the strongest terms that you vigorously oppose California SB 649.
If this bill passes, many people will suffer greatly, and needlessly, as a direct result.
This sounds like hyperbole. It is not.
My research group at UC San Diego alone has received hundreds of communications from people who have developed serious health problems from electromagnetic radiation, following introduction of new technologies. Others with whom I am in communication, have independently received hundreds of similar reports. Most likely these are a tip of an iceberg of tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands of affected person. As each new technology leading to further exposure to electromagnetic radiation is introduced – and particularly introduced in a fashion that prevents vulnerable individuals from avoiding it – a new group become sensitized to health effects. This is particularly true for pulsed signals in the radiowave and microwave portion of the spectrum, the type for which the proposed bill SB 640 will bypass local control."
In the letter, Dr. Golomb summarizes the research on the effects of exposure to radio frequency radiation and advocates for "safer, wired and well shielded technology – not more wireless."
Appended to the letter are 360 references to the scientific literature.
The letter can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/SB649Golomb822.

Professor Martin Pall, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences at Washington State University, explains in his letter to the Governor his peer-reviewed research which has documented ...
"exquisite sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the voltage sensors in each cell, such that the force impacting our cells at the voltage sensor has massive impact on the biology in the cells of our bodies."
"This new understanding [1-7] means we can debunk the claims of the wireless industry that there cannot be a mechanism for effects produced by these weak EMFs. The 20 years plus of industry propaganda claims are false. Rather the thousands of studies showing diverse health impacts of these EMFs can be explained. We now have a mechanism, one that is supported by both the biology and the physics, both of which are pointing in exactly the same direction."
"5G will be much more active in activating the VGCCs and producinghealth impacts because of its rapid absorption by materials in the body, because of its very rapid pulsations and because of the huge number antennae they are planning to put up, at least 200 times the number of antennae from all current cell phone towers. What this means is that the impacts on the outer one to two inches of our bodies will be massive."

His letter discusses the potential health impacts on humans and on agriculture with exposure to 5G radiation.

The letter can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/SB649Pall


Dr. Michael Lipsett, MD, JD, a retired public health physician with extensive experience in environmental health, mentions in his letter the recent demand for a 5G moratorium by more than 180 scientists and physicians and the study of cell phone radiation conducted by the National Toxicology Program.

He points out that while individuals can take precautions to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation emitted by wireless devices, this is not feasible with exposure from cell antennas. He notes that ...
"laboratory and human health investigations designed and conducted by independent researchers have reported associations linking exposure to radiation from cell phones or similar devices with multiple adverse effects (e.g., headaches, impacts on brain function, memory, learning and sleep; decreased sperm counts and quality) as well as with DNA damage and tumors of the brain and nervous system."
"Potential health impacts of wireless communication have been ignored or obscured for decades by the telecommunications industry, which has implied that cell phones and other devices are safe because they comply with federal safety standards. However, these standards were established more than 20 years ago and were based on assumptions that have since been called into question by health research studies. The push to establish a 5G network, exemplified by SB 649, is based on a similarly unproven assumption: i.e., that round-the-clock exposure to 5G frequencies will not affect human health or the environment.
Establishment of a 5G network will be irreversible, as will the pattern of near-universal exposure of California residents to high-frequency, as-yet-untested 5G electromagnetic radiation."
The letter can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/LipsettSB649.

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June 23, 2017


EMF Scientist Appeal Advisors Call for Moratorium on Policies
for 5G "Small Cell" Antennas

The advisors to the International EMF Scientist Appeal submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in opposition to a proposed change in FCC rules that would allow rapid deployment of 5th generation (5G) wireless infrastructure throughout the nation. A copy of the Appeal was appended to the letter.
5G involves transmission of millimeter waves which operate at much higher frequencies than currently used for cellular transmission (30 to 300 gigahertz). Because the range of these signals is limited (i.e., less than a football field), hundreds of thousands of new "small cell" antennas will be required in the U.S. The wireless industry wants to install these not-so-small cellular antennas on existing public utility poles.
The FCC intends to streamline the approval of these antennas which would further undermine the regulatory authority of cities and states over cell towers.
Meanwhile the wireless industry is lobbying for legislation in many states across the country that would limit local authority over cell antenna deployment.
Due to the concern that the FCC's new rules will result in increased exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), the Appeal's advisors oppose the new rules and call for a "public health review of the growing body of scientific evidence that includes reports of increasing rates of cancer and neurological diseases that may be caused by exposure to EMF from wireless sources."
The Appeal reflects the concerns of 225 EMF experts from 41 nations about the impact of EMF exposure on public health. All of the experts who signed this appeal have published research in peer-reviewed scientific journals about the biologic or health effects of EMF.
According to the Appeal's signatories, current national and international EMF exposure guidelines are obsolete and inadequate to protect human health and the environment. The FCC's radio frequency guidelines were adopted in 1996.
The letter (dated June 9, 2017) is signed by the five advisors to the International EMF Scientist Appeal: Drs. Martin Blank, Magda Havas, Henry Lai, and Joel Moskowitz, and Elizabeth Kelley.
For more information:
FCC filing detail (June 9, 2017)
FCC letter submitted by Advisors to International EMF Scientist Appeal
FCC submission: International EMF Scientist Appeal

International EMF Scientist Appeal Official Website
International EMF Scientist Appeal on Electromagnetic Fields and Wireless Technology
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May 8, 2017

A 5G Wireless Future: Will it give us a smart nation or contribute to an unhealthy one?
Dr. Cindy Russell, The (SCCMA) Bulletin, Jan/Feb 2017
Safety testing for 5G is the same as other wireless devices. It is based on heat. This is an obsolete standard and not considering current science showing cellular and organism harm from non-thermal effects. There is a large gap in safety data for 5G biological effects that has been demonstrated in older studies including military.
Recommendations
1. Do not proceed to roll out 5G technologies pending pre-market studies on health effects.
2. Reevaluate safety standards based on long term as well as short term studies on biological effects.
3. Rescind a portion of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which preempts state and local government regulation for the placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects so that health and environmental issues can be addressed.
4. Rescind portions of The Spectrum Act which was passed in 2012 as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which strips the ability city officials and local governments to regulate cellular communications equipment, provides no public notification or opportunity for public input and may potentially result in environmental impacts.
5. Create an independent multidisciplinary scientific agency tasked with developing appropriate safety regulations, pre-market testing and research needs in a transparent environment with public input.
6. Label pertinent EMF information on devices along with appropriate precautionary warnings.
Dr. Russell provides a brief review of the research on millimeter wave bioeffects in this article: https://bit.ly/5GRussell.

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Aug 17, 2016 (Updated Aug 19)

5G cellular technology will employ much higher frequency microwaves than current cell phone technologies: 2G, 3G, and 4G. These microwaves, known as millimeter waves, won't penetrate building materials like the current technology which is why industry may need one cell antenna base station for every 12 homes.
But millimeter waves can affect your eyes and penetrate your skin.

When the Los Angeles Times reporter contacted me for the story below, I did a quick search and found several recently published articles examining biological effects of millimeter waves (see references below). This form of microwave radiation is most likely to affect our skin and neuronal cells in the upper dermis.

Moreover, widespread adoption of 5G cellular technology in the U.S. may have profound effects on our ecosystem by altering bacteria, possibly creating harmful bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

History has proved that we cannot trust the FCC and the FDA to protect our health from microwave radiation exposure.


I submitted an open letter to the FCC in July calling for "an independent review of the biologic and health research to determine whether the RF standards should be modified before allowing additional spectrum to be used for new commercial applications."

Moreover, the FCC has ignored the 800-plus submissions that call upon the agency to adopt rigorous radio frequency standards to protect the public's health. Instead the agency maintains its 20-year old exposure guidelines that control only for heating or thermal risks. The FDA has ignored the thousands of studies that find nonthermal biologic effects, and the human studies that find a wide range of health effects including increased cancer risk and reproductive harm from exposure to low intensity microwaves.
In my opinion, precaution is warranted before unleashing 5G technology on the world. I suspect most of the 221 scientists who signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal (referenced in the article below), would support this assertion.

However, more research is also needed as specific characteristics of the millimeter waves (e.g., pulsing, modulation) to be employed in 5G cellular technology may be more important than the frequency or intensity of the waves in terms of biologic and health effects. The research funding must be independent of industry as conflicts of interest have been found to undermine the science in this field.
For an unbiased summary of the partial findings of the National Toxicology Program study of cancer risk from 2G cell phone radiation, see https://www.saferemr.com/2016/05/national-toxicology-progam-finds-cell.html.
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Low-intensity millimeter waves used for pain therapy have side effects
The Russians have pioneered millimeter wave therapy (MWT) using low intensity millimeter waves to reduce pain including headaches, joint pain, and postoperative pain.

Although the following review paper documents some positive effects from short-term exposure to MWT, the authors note that there are side effects including fatigue, sleepiness, and paresthesia (an abnormal sensation, tingling or pricking ["pins and needles"] caused by pressure on or damage to peripheral nerves).
"We conclude that there is promising data from pilot case series and small-scale randomized controlled trials for analgesic/hypoalgesic effects of electromagnetic millimeter waves in frequency range 30–70 GHz. Large-scale randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of this non-invasive therapeutic technique are necessary."
"In the studies reviewed the authors did not report any health-related side effects of MWT. Slight paresthesias, previously mentioned in several case reports and non-controlled case series (10,11), appeared in almost 50% of patients in studies where the effects of MWT were carefully described (21,27,28,31). The paresthesias were of short duration and reported as pleasant ('warmth') or neutral. General fatigue and sleepiness during the treatment sessions in almost 80% of the patients was a rather desirable side effect of MWT, as also described in previous reviews on biomedical effects of MWT (10,11,21,27,28)."
From: Usichenko TI, Edinger H, Gizhko VV, Lehmann C, Wendt M, Feyerherd F. Low-intensity electromagnetic millimeter waves for pain therapy. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 Jun;3(2):201-7. URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1475937/
Little research is available on long-term exposure to millimeter waves (see below). Most of the studies referred to in this review paper did not modulate or pulse the carrier waves which will be required for information-carrying millimeter waves employed in 5G technologies. Prior research suggests that such waves will be more biologically active than pure sine waves.

Additional Resources (Updated 3/13/2022)
D. B. Deaconescu, A. M. Buda, D. Vatamanu, S. Miclaus. The Dynamics of the Radiated Field Near a Mobile Phone Connected to a 4G or 5G Network. Eng. Technol. Appl. Sci. Res. 12(1):8101–8106, Feb. 2022.
ANFR (France). Study of the 5G contribution to exposure of the general public to electromagnetic waves: Preliminary Report. Dec 2021.

Sally Beare. How green is 5G? Envirotec Magazine, Nov 2021.
Sam Aerts, Kenneth Deprez, Davide Colombi, Matthias Van den Bossche, Leen Verloock, Luc Martens, Christer Törnevik, Wout Joseph. In Situ Assessment of 5G NR Massive MIMO Base Station Exposure in a Commercial Network in Bern, Switzerland. Appl. Sci. 11(8): 3592. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083592.
Kyuri Kim, Young Seung Lee, Nam Kim, Hyung-Do Choi, Dong-Jun Kang, Hak Rim Kim, Kyung-Min Lim. Effects of Electromagnetic Waves with LTE and 5G Bandwidth on the Skin Pigmentation In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Dec 26;22(1):E170. doi: 10.3390/ijms22010170.
El-Hajj AM, Naous T. Radiation analysis in a gradual 5G network deployment strategy. 2020 IEEE 3rd 5G World Forum (5GWF), Bangalore, India IEEE, 2020: 448-453, ISBN 9781728173009. (Austin, TX simulation)
Koh TH, Choi JW, Seo M, Choi H-D, Kim KH. Factors affecting risk perception of electromagnetic waves from 5G network base stations. Bioelectromagnetics. 31 August 2020. Open access paper.
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety. 5G Research from the EMF-Portal Archive: 133 papers and presentations. Apr 1, 2020.
Lin JC. Telecommunications health and safety: US FCC affirms its current safety limits for RF radiation and 5G wireless. Radio Science Bulletin 2019; 2019 (371): 87-89.
Lin JC. Health Safety Guidelines and 5G Wireless Radiation [Health Matters]. IEEE Microwave Magazine. 23(1):10-17. Jan. 2022, doi: 10.1109/MMM.2021.3117307.
Pujol F, Manero C, Ropert S, Enjalbal A, Lavender T, Jervis V, Rudd R, Marcus JS. Study on using millimetre waves bands for the deployment of the 5G ecosystem in the Union: Final Report. A study prepared for the European Commission. doi: 10.2759/703052. 2019.

Mehdizadeh AR, Mortazavi SMJ. Editorial. 5G technology: Why should we expect a shift from RF-induced brain cancers to skin cancers? J Biomed Phys Eng. 2019.
"In summary, although 5G technology brings new risks, it should be noted that regarding mobile phone use and cancer, the level of exposure is a factor that really matters."

The essential 5G glossary of key terms and phrases
Michaela Goss, Tech Target, Aug 12, 2019

Senator Blumenthal Raises Concerns on 5G Wireless Technology Health Risks at Senate Hearing
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Hearing, Feb 6, 2019 (5 minute video)
"We're kind of flying blind here so far as health and safety is concerned."

Is 5G Harmful for Humans and the Environment? Kashyap Vyas, Interesting Engineering, Jan 27, 2019
U.S. Senator Blumenthal briefing on possible health risks posed by 5G wireless technology Congressional news briefing, Connecticut Network, Dec 3, 2018 (22 minute video)

Congressional letter to FCC Commissioner requesting evidence for safety of 5G
Richard Blumenthal, Anna G. Eshoo, Dec 3, 2018

Resistance to 5G: Roadblock to a High Tech Future or Warning of a Serious Health Risk? Conan Milner, Epoch Times, November 9, 2018
The roll out of 5G wireless service is 'a massive health experiment,' public health expert warns as cell companies install 800,000 towers across the US
Natalie Rahhal, Daily Mail, May 29, 2018

The 5G telecommunication technology--emitted millimeter waves: Lack of research on bioeffects
Dariusz Leszczynski, PhD, Presentation at 5th Asian & Oceanic IRPA Regional Congress on Radiation Protection, Melbourne, Australia, May 22, 2018

NEPA rollback now official for small wireless projects
Sobczyk N, GreenWire, May 3, 2018

5G: Great risk for EU, U.S. and International Health! Compelling Evidence for
Eight Distinct Types of Great Harm Caused by Electromagnetic Exposures and the Mechanism that Causes Them
Martin L. Pall, PhD, undated

5G and Internet of Things: A Trojan Horse
Paul Héroux, PhD, The Green Gazette, Mar 27, 2018

Residents worried about small cell safety have been waiting years for federal guidance
Ryan Barwick, Center for Public Integrity, Mar 2, 2018
5G Cell Service Is Coming. Who Decides Where It Goes?
Allan Holmes, New York Times, Mar 2, 2018


'Tsunami of data' could consume one fifth of global electricity by 2025
The Guardian, Dec 11, 2017

California: Bill to ease permits for cellular antennas could impact health
Tracy Seipel. Mercury News (San Jose, CA), Aug 31, 2017
Is 5G technology dangerous? Early data shows a slight increase of tumors in male rats exposed to cellphone radiation Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times, Aug 8, 2016
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
18.3.2023 19:27

The Incidence of Meningioma, a Non-Malignant Brain Tumor, is Increasing in the U.S.



https://bit.ly/3Tjzxxx

March 15, 2023 (Updated March 18, 2023)
It is tricky trying to interpret the results of ecological studies (studies used to understand the relationship between outcome and exposure at a population level, where 'population' represents a group of individuals with a shared characteristic):
(1) it is difficult to control for confounding, (2) associations may be due to chance, and (3) population-level associations may not correspond to processes that occur at the individual-level (i.e., ecological fallacy).
The risk factors underlying changes over time in tumor incidence in the population can be difficult to identify if there were changes in screening and diagnostic procedures or changes in reporting practices.
Moon (2023) recently reported that the age-standardized incidence rate of nonmalignant meningioma (D32) increased from 1999 to 2018 [Average Annual Percent Change =36.69% (95% CI = 33.53–39.85)] in South Korea. The rate increased from 2.08 per 100,000 in 2004 to 7.07 per 100,000 in 2018 (see Supplementary Material B).
Keeping the caveats mentioned above in mind about ecological studies, it is intriguing that Moon (2023) reported that the correlation of the age-standardized incidence rate of nonmalignant meningioma with the cell phone subscription rate ten years earlier in South Korea was very high (r = .92, 95% CI = .80 - .97). This result suggests that cell phone use in the population could be contributing to the development of nonmalignant tumors of the meninges, the tissue covering the outer portion of the brain, ten years later.

In the U.S., based on SEER 22 Areas tumor registry data, the age-standardized incidence rate of nonmalignant meningioma increased from 6.4 per 100,000 in 2004 (the first year this tumor was reported by SEER) to 10.1 per 100,000 in 2018 (see Figure above).
Based upon my calculation, in the U.S. the correlation of age-standardized incidence rates of nonmalignant meningioma (from 2004-2018 in SEER 22) with cell phone subscription rates in the U.S. ten years earlier (from 1994-2008 as reported in Supplementary Material B in Moon, 2023) was also very high (r=.89, 95% CI =.70 - .96).
Case-control studies provide stronger evidence of this risk factor. Although not all case-control studies have found an association between heavy wireless phone use and meningioma, at least three studies reported significant associations:

In Sweden, Carlberg and Hardell (2015) found that heavy use of wireless phones (i.e., cell phones and cordless phones) was associated with greater risk of meningioma. Heavy cordless phone users (defined as more than 1,436 hours of lifetime use) had a 1.7-fold greater risk of meningioma (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.3-2.2). The heaviest cordless phone users (defined as more than 3,358 hours of lifetime use) had a two-fold greater risk of meningioma (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.4 - 2.8). The heaviest cell phone users had a 1.5-fold greater risk of meningioma (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 0.99 - 2.1).

In France, Coureau et al. (2014) found a two and a half-fold greater risk of meningioma for heavy cell phone users (defined as 896 or more hours of lifetime use) (OR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.02 to 6.44).

Using data from Australia, Canada, France, Israel and New Zealand, Cardis et al. (2011) found a two-fold greater risk of meningioma for heavy cell phone users (defined as 3,124 or more hours of lifetime use) (OR = 2.01; 95% CI = 1.03 to 2.93).

In sum, use of wireless phones over a ten-year period, including cell phone and cordless phone use, may contribute to the development of nonmalignant meningioma in the U.S. as well as other countries.
See also:
Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US: The Role of Cellphone & Cordless Phone Use
Trends in Brain Tumor Incidence Outside the U.S.


April 20, 2015
The age-adjusted incidence rate for meningioma, the most common non-malignant brain tumor, increased from about 6.3 per 100,000 in 2004 to about 7.8 per 100,000 in 2009 before leveling off (through 2011).

The annual percentage increase between 2004 and 2009 was 2.4% per year. The annual increase was significant for males and females, whites and blacks, and non-Hispanics. Although the incidence of these tumors increased for all age groups except 0-19, the increase was statistically significant only for 45-54 years of age and 65 and older.

The case-control research that has examined the association between long-term use of mobile phones and risk of meningioma has yielded mixed results. Some studies have found a significant association whereas others have not.

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Dolecek TA, Dressler EV, Thakkar JP, Liu M, Al-Qaisi A, Villano JL. Epidemiology of meningiomas post-Public Law 107-206: The Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act. Cancer. 2015 Apr 14. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29379. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract


BACKGROUND: The current analysis follows the implementation of Public Law 107-260, the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act, which mandated the collection of nonmalignant brain tumors.

METHODS: Meningiomas were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database for the years 2004 to 2011. Demographic and clinical characteristics, initial treatment patterns, and survival outcomes were evaluated using surveillance epidemiology statistical methods.

RESULTS: The average annual age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 population was 7.62 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 7.55-7.68) for all meningiomas, 7.18 (95% CI, 7.12-7.25) for benign meningiomas, 0.32 (95% CI, 0.31-0.33) for borderline malignant meningiomas, and 0.12 (95% CI, 0.11-0.12) for malignant meningiomas. The annual rates increased for benign and borderline malignant tumors but decreased for malignant tumors. The rates for women exceeded those for men, especially for those with benign meningiomas. Black race was associated with significantly higher rates as was advancing age. Greater than 80% of tumors were located in cerebral meninges. Diagnostic confirmation through pathology occurred for approximately 50% of benign tumors, 90% of borderline malignant tumors, and 80% of malignant tumors. No initial treatment was reported for greater than 60% of benign tumors, 29% of borderline malignant tumors, or 31% of malignant tumors. The 5-year relative survival estimates for benign tumors, borderline malignant tumors, and malignant tumors were 85.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 85%-86.2%), 82.3% (95% CI, 79.3%-84.8%), and 66% (95% CI, 60.6%-70.9%), respectively. Predictors of poorer survival were advanced age, being male gender, black race, no initial treatment, and malignant tumor behavior.

CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis demonstrates that there is an increasing incidence.

https://1.usa.gov/1zE7WXs

Excerpts

Population-based studies of meningiomas have been limited because of the benign nature of the histology; and, before diagnosis year 2004, state central cancer registries were not required to collect nonmalignant cases. That changed with the passage of Public Law 107-260, the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act.1 This law mandated the collection of benign and borderline malignant brain tumors beginning with diagnosis year 2004. Our analysis on this common but understudied tumor follows the implementation of this law ...

Meningiomas have the highest incidence rate among all primary brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Nonmalignant meningioma is the most frequently reported histology, accounting for >33% of all primary brain and CNS tumors.

We evaluated population-based data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program 18 registries of the National Cancer Institute. The SEER Program is an authoritative source of cancer incidence and survival in the United States with registries that cover approximately 28% of the US population. Although Public Law 107-260 only applies to state-wide registries, SEER has voluntarily agreed to collect nonmalignant brain tumor data in accordance with the mandate.

In total, 51,065 new meningiomas occurred in the 18 SEER geographic areas during the period from 2004 to 2011. Of these tumors, 50,290 (>98%) were determined to be nonmalignant (benign or borderline malignant) and were collected under the mandate of Public Law 107-260. Greater than 95% of these tumors were benign, and the remaining tumors were classified as borderline malignancies. Only 775 malignant tumors were diagnosed during the 8 study years.

... Statistically significant increases in the annual AAIRs from 2004 to 2011 were apparent for benign and borderline malignant tumors, whereas AAIRs for malignant tumors significantly decreased....

... Statistically significant increases were observed from 2004 to 2009 for benign meningiomas (APC, 3.86; P<.05), with a leveling off and no significant change in AAIRs during 2009 to 2011. The pattern for borderline malignant meningiomas was similar, but the significant increase appeared from 2004 to 2008 (APC, 5.50; P<.05), with no significant change over the years from 2008 to 2011. No joinpoint was apparent for malignant meningiomas, but a significant linear decline (APC, 27.27; P<.05) was observed.
Rising risk over the study period very well may have been an artifact of increasingly accurate reporting associated with implementation of the law. The extent to which this contributed to the increased incidence is unknown. There is also a degree of ascertainment bias because of improving diagnostic techniques, because 50% of patients with benign tumors were registered based on imaging versus pathology, which is required for most other cancers ...
The piece-wise regression trend analyses suggest that benign meningioma rates stabilized at diagnosis year 2009 and had no significant change from 2009 to 2011. Reporting for the diagnosis years 2004 through 2009 may have been influenced by the many factors discussed above, and diagnosis years 2009 through 2011 actually may reflect accurate incidence estimates for meningiomas with more complete registration of nonmalignant tumors ...

Conclusions

The implementation of the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act, Public Law 107-260, afforded an opportunity to gain a better understanding and new insights into nonmalignant brain tumors. This legislative contribution has distinctive relevance to patients with meningioma, because it is known as the most common CNS tumor in which the vast major of patients present with benign histologies. Our current analysis after the implementation of Public Law 107-260 in diagnosis year 2004 demonstrates increasing incidence rates of nonmalignant meningiomas that stabilized around 2009. This trend was undoubtedly because of learning curves associated with registration procedures put into practice to comply with the law. The period of rate stabilization likely reflects meningioma estimates that are closer to its true incidence with more precise behavior classifications in the SEER registries data. Our report, for which we used this improved, high-quality cancer registry data set on brain tumors, represents the most current population-based description of the demographic and clinical characteristics, initial treatment patterns, and survival outcomes for patients with nonmalignant and malignant meningiomas.




Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
14.3.2023 18:29

Trends in Brain Tumor Incidence Outside the U.S.


A new study in South Korea found that ten years after mobile phone subscriptions increased, the incidence of brain tumors increased in several anatomic locations (notably malignant tumors in the frontal and temporal lobes and nonmalignant tumors in the meninges) but decreased in other locations. This could be related to the adoption ten years earlier of cell phones in which transmission antennas were situated at the top of the phones.
(Many smartphones have transmission antennas in the bottom of the phones so the neck may now receive the greatest exposure during phone calls putting the thyroid gland at risk.)

Because it can take a decade or more for a solid tumor to be diagnosed, it is important to model the latency when examining tumor incidence data. Nonetheless, it's tricky trying to interpret ecological studies like this study. Moreover, trends over time in tumor incidence can be difficult to interpret due to changes in screening, diagnostic and reporting procedures.
The relationship between radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and brain tumor: The brain tumor incidence trends in South Korea

Jinyoung Moon, Physician's Weekly, Mar 13, 2023

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the nationwide cell phone subscription rate and the nationwide incidence of brain tumors in South Korea. The nationwide cell phone subscription rate was used as a proxy for the RF-EMR [radio frequency electromagnetic radiation] exposure assessment.

The data for cell phone subscriptions per 100 persons from 1985 to 2019 were found in the Statistics, International Telecom Union (ITU). The brain tumor incidence data from 1999 to 2018 provided by the South Korea Central Cancer Registry operated by the National Cancer Center were used.

In South Korea, the subscription rate increased from 0 per 100 persons in 1991 to 57 per 100 persons in 2000. The subscription rate became 97 per 100 persons in 2009 and 135 per 100 persons in 2019. For the correlation coefficient between cell phone subscription rate before 10 years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive correlation coefficient with a statistical significance was reported in 3 benign brain tumors (International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10 code, D32, D33, and D32.0) and in 3 malignant brain tumors (ICD-10 code, C71.0, C71.1, and C71.2). Positive correlation coefficients with a statistical significance in malignant brain tumors ranged from 0.75 (95% CI 0.46-0.90) for C71.0 to 0.85 (95% CI 0.63-0.93) for C71.1.

In consideration of the fact that the main route for RF-EMR exposure has been through the frontotemporal side of the brain (the location of both ears), the positive correlation coefficient with a statistical significance in the frontal lobe (C71.1) and temporal lobe (C71.2) can be understood. Statistically insignificant results from recent cohort and large population international studies and contrasting results from many previous case-control studies could indicate a difficulty in identifying a factor as a determinant of a disease in ecological study design.

https://www.physiciansweekly.com/the-relationship-between-radiofrequency-electromagnetic-radiation-from-cell-phones-and-brain-tumor-the-brain-tumor-incidence-trends-in-south-korea/
Moon J. The relationship between radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and brain tumor: The brain tumor incidence trends in South Korea. Environmental Research (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115657.
Highlights
• Positive correlation for malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles/the frontal lobe/the temporal lobe.
• Positive correlation for benign neoplasm of meninges/brain & other parts of the central nervous system/supratentorial brain.• The highest correlation coefficient: malignant neoplasm of the frontal lobe/the temporal lobe.• Cell phones: RF-EMR exposure through the frontotemporal side of the brain.• Four reasons for statistically insignificant results of recent studies.
Abstract
Introduction The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the nationwide cell phone subscription rate and the nationwide incidence of brain tumors in South Korea. The nationwide cell phone subscription rate was used as a proxy for the RF-EMR exposure assessment.

Methods The data for cell phone subscriptions per 100 persons from 1985 to 2019 were found in the Statistics, International Telecom Union (ITU). The brain tumor incidence data from 1999 to 2018 provided by the South Korea Central Cancer Registry operated by the National Cancer Center were used.

Results In South Korea, the subscription rate increased from 0 per 100 persons in 1991 to 57 per 100 persons in 2000. The subscription rate became 97 per 100 persons in 2009 and 135 per 100 persons in 2019. For the correlation coefficient between cell phone subscription rate before 10 years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive correlation coefficient with a statistical significance was reported in 3 benign brain tumors (International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10 code, D32, D33, and D32.0) and in 3 malignant brain tumors (ICD-10 code, C71.0, C71.1, and C71.2). Positive correlation coefficients with a statistical significance in malignant brain tumors ranged from 0.75 (95% CI 0.46–0.90) for C71.0 to 0.85 (95% CI 0.63–0.93) for C71.1.

Discussion In consideration of the fact that the main route for RF-EMR exposure has been through the frontotemporal side of the brain (the location of both ears), the positive correlation coefficient with a statistical significance in the frontal lobe (C71.1) and temporal lobe (C71.2) can be understood. Statistically insignificant results from recent cohort and large population international studies and contrasting results from many previous case-control studies could indicate a difficulty in identifying a factor as a determinant of a disease in ecological study design.

Excerpts
Numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association between Radiofrequency-Electromagnetic Radiation (RF-EMR) exposure from cell phones and the incidence of brain tumors have been published until the present time (Belpomme et al., 2018; Elwood, 2003; Morgan et al., 2015; Myung et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2018). The conclusion of each study varied depending on the magnitude of exposure, the location of brain tumors, the histologic type of brain tumors, and a number of confounding factors such as research team and funding source (Belpomme et al., 2018; Hardell et al., 2008a; Morgan et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2018)....
... in consideration of limited data for accurate RF-EMR exposure assessment, the best strategy to approach this topic is the triangulation of the pieces of information from the different types of epidemiologic studies (de Vocht and Röösli, 2021). As one piece of information from this perspective, we looked over the incidence trend of brain tumors classified by the histological types and the location of brain tumors in South Korea....
C70 Malignant neoplasm of meninges
C71 Malignant neoplasm of brain
C72 Malignant neoplasm of the spinal cord, cranial nerves, and other parts of the central nervous system
C70.0 Malignant neoplasm of cerebral meninges
C70.9 Malignant neoplasm of meninges, unspecified
C71.0 Malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles
C71.1 Malignant neoplasm of the frontal lobe
C71.2 Malignant neoplasm of the temporal lobe
C71.9 Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified
C72.0 Malignant neoplasm of spinal cord
D32 Benign neoplasm of meninges
D33 Benign neoplasm of brain and other parts of the central nervous system
D32.0 Benign neoplasm of brain

The AAPC [average annual percent change] for C72, C71.0, C71.1, C71.2, C72.0, D32, D33, and D32.0 was positive with statistical significance.... The AAPC for C70, C70.0, and C71.9 was negative with statistical significance.
For the correlation coefficient between cell phone subscription rate before 10 years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive correlation coefficient with a statistical significance was reported in 3 benign brain tumors (D32, D33, and D32.0) and in 3 malignant brain tumors (C71.0, C71.1 and C71.2). A negative correlation coefficient with statistical significance was reported in 3 malignant brain tumors: C70, C70.0, and C71.9 [i.e., malignant meninges, cerebral meninges, and brain, unspecified].

Conclusion

In South Korea, for the correlation coefficient between cell phone subscription rate before 10 years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive correlation coefficient with a statistical significance was reported in 3 malignant brain tumors (C71.0, C71.1, and C71.2) [i.e., cerebrum except lobes and ventricles, frontal lobe and temporal lobe] and 3 benign brain tumors (D32, D33, and D32.0) [i.e. nonmalignant meninges, brain and other CNS, and brain, supratentorial]. Among these results, that for malignant brain tumors in the frontal lobe (C71.1) and in the temporal lobe (C71.2) is suspicious of the association with RF-EMR emitted from cellular phones. The other 4 possible hypotheses do not fit well with the observed phenomena.

Statistically insignificant results from recent cohort or large population international studies and contrasting results from many previous case-control studies might come from several issues. A statistically significant increased risk can be found if (ⅰ) a more accurate exposure assessment such as site-specific, time-integral of SAR for each individual is applied or (ⅱ) massive populations over 100,000 are studied.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123004498
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Use of mobile phones and progression of glioma incidence in four Nordic countries since 1979
My notes:
Although the title of the following report from the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer is in German, the report is available in English.
The report's summary, "no indications of a detectable effect of mobile phones have been found," seems misleading because it is inconsistent with the report's final conclusion, namely, "An increased risk in the 10% heaviest mobile phone users was an exception to this general situation, as it remained plausible."
[The 10% "heaviest mobile users" in the Interphone study had 1,640 or more hours of lifetime call time. That would amount to approximately 30 minutes per day over a 10-year period.]
The report's bottom line:
"This ecological data is not sufficient to dismiss every potential mobile phone related risk scenario, but suggests that the risk – if it exists - would be very small, only occur after very long latency periods of several decades, or only affect small subgroups within glioma patients."

If only a portion of the population has a genetic susceptibility to brain cancer in the presence of microwave radiation as appears to be the case with thyroid cancer (Luo et al., 2020), that could explain why the odds ratios obtained for brain cancer risk from case-control studies of heavy, long-term mobile phone users over-predict glioma incidence in the overall population based upon tumor registry data.
* Luo J, Li H, Deziel NC, Huang H, Zhao N, Ma S, Nie X, Udelsman R, Zhang Y. Genetic susceptibility may modify the association between cell phone use and thyroid cancer: A population-based case-control study in Connecticut. Environmental Research. 2020 Mar;182:109013. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109013. (see also Thyroid Cancer and Mobile Phone Use)

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Deltour I, Schuz J. Nutzung von Mobiltelefonen und Verlauf der Gliom-Inzidenz seit 1979: Vorhaben 3618S00000 (FM 8867). International Agency for Research on Cancer. Jun 2022. Open access report: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/bitstream/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022063033222/4/BfS_2022_3618S00000.pdf

Summary
1.1 Introduction

In the Nordic countries, the sharp increase in the use of mobile phone occurred in the mid-1990s among adults; thus, time trends in glioma incidence rates (IR) may provide information about possible risks associated with mobile phone use. We investigated time trends in IR of glioma, and compared IR and observed number of cases to those that would be expected under a range of hypothetical mobile phone risk scenarios, encompassing risk levels reported in published case-control studies.

1.2 Methods

We analyzed age standardised IR of glioma in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden among adults 20-84 years old, using data from national cancer registries and population data covering the period 1979-2016, using a log linear joinpoint analysis. Exposure distribution of use and of high level of use were obtained from self-reported information in the Nordic Interphone, the Cosmos-Denmark and the Cosmos-France datasets. Based on analytical epidemiological studies, we considered various scenarios according to which mobile phone use would hypothetically increase the glioma risk. We quantified compatibility, or absence of compatibility between the observed data and the risk scenarios by projecting incidence rates of glioma of men aged 40-69 years old under these scenarios and comparing them with the observed incidence rates in the Nordic countries.

1.3 Results

Glioma IR increased regularly with annual percent change (APC) of 0.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-0.7) in men and 0.3 (95%CI 0.2-0.5) in women in the period 1979-2016. There were hardly any changes in IR among men and women below age 59. In men and women in their sixties, IR increased by 0.6 (95%CI 0.4-0.9) in men and 0.4 (95%CI 0.2-0.7) in women, regularly for the whole period of observation, while IR among 70-84 years old increased very markedly, with APC of 3.1 (95%CI 2.6-3.5) among men and 2.8 (95%CI 2.3-3.3) among women over at least the last 2 decades of observation. Very few risk scenarios appeared compatible with the observed data using standardised incidence ratios analyses. The risk scenarios that appeared compatible involved either long latencies (20 years), or very low risks (RR = 1.08); in these projections, risks that would be limited to mobile phone heavy users were not compatible with the observed number of cases.

1.4 Discussion

IR time trends did not demonstrate breakpoints in their secular evolution in the last 20 years. Virtually all the reported results from the case-control studies with a positive association between mobile phone use and glioma risk were shown to be implausible in our simulations comparing them with the observed incidence rates, implying that biases and errors have likely distorted their findings; very low risks at the population level, and risks after very long latencies remained plausible. Simulations were based on high quality case registration, which is a strength, while the uncertainties in the exposure information and the limited information about some of the model's assumptions were limitations. Altogether, this study confirms and reinforces conclusions made previously, that no indications of a detectable effect of mobile phones have been found.
Excerpts
... We analyzed the time trends in the incidence rates of glioma among adults aged 20 to 84 years of the Nordic countries from 1979 to 2016 (step 1 of the work description). Then, we addressed the question whether the observed time trends and observed number of cases were statistically different from the one we would observe if we assumed that the use of mobile phones caused glioma, so if we assumed that there was a true causal association (step 2 and step 3 of the work description). Within this, we delineated the levels of risks and the duration of induction periods that would not be compatible with the observed time trends and numbers of cases in this population (step 3 of the work description). We also discussed these findings in light of some of the elevated OR found in the literature. The study tested the consistency between risks that have been reported and the effect they would have had at the level of the population, had they been true. Noteworthy, the study was not meant to dismiss every single hypothetical association, as it would most likely always be possible to devise a pattern of risk that would fit the data....
This study was based on 28,015 male and 20,630 female glioma cases diagnosed from 1979 to 2016 in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (called "the Nordic countries" in the following). In 2016, the number of glioma cases was 1,724 in a population of 19.7 million adults aged 20–84 years. Over the last 10 years of data, Sweden accounted for 38% of the population and of the cases; of the remainder, Denmark, Finland, and Norway had populations of similar size. The age-standardized incidence rates were higher in men (9.1 per 100000 person years) than in women (6.1 per 100 000 person years), and higher with increasing age. All countries had comparable rates; Norway had slightly higher rates, while Finland had slightly lower rates in both sexes (Table 2 and Table 3).
Joinpoint analyses described in paragraph 6.1 showed that overall, the trends were smooth: glioma rates increased by 0.6% (95% CI 0.4%-0.7%) per year in men and 0.3% (95% CI 0.2%-0.5%) per year in women over the period 1979-2016 in the Nordic countries combined (Table 4 and Table 5), and in each country separately except for a marked increase in 1979-1984 in Swedish men (APC about 6%). For the younger age groups (20-39 and 40-59 years old), the time trends were smooth and did not demonstrate strong increases at any point in time during the period 1979 to 2016 in any country among men (Table 6), and women (Table 7). Below the age of 60, incidence rates were generally stable over the whole period (Figure 1, Table 6 and Table 7). Among people aged 60-69 years old, incidence rates increased gradually by 0.6% in men and 0.4% in women per year, and these regular increases with no joinpoint were observed in every country and at a very similar rate in both sexes, except among Swedish women, whose rates showed a slight decrease. Irregular patterns were observed among the persons aged 70-84 years old at the beginning of the observation period, while for at least the last 12 years of observation, all countries showed highly increasing rates. Exceptions to this general pattern were noted among the Finnish males and the Norwegian females, in which an increase was seen at the beginning of the observation period that lasted at least 21 years.
The analysis by subgroups of tumour types could be performed only for the period 1990-2016 for reasons of data availability: in Sweden, a separate code for glioblastoma did not exist prior to 1993, and very few of the tumours which had been diagnosed during the period 1990-1992 were retrospectively coded into this code. Indeed, cancer registries are continuously updated when additional information becomes available on an earlier diagnosis, for example.
Among men and women, the rates of glioblastomas increased in the last years of observations, while the rate of other high-grade gliomas decreased (Table 8 and Table 9). Rates of low grade gliomas were relatively stable in all countries since the mid 1990's except in Denmark, where substantial increases were noted towards the end of the period of observation, albeit non-significant....
When examining the trends by subtypes, glioblastoma generally increased while other high grade gliomas decreased, and low grade glioma were stable in the most recent period, except in Denmark where low grade glioma rates increased among men and women in the last 3 years of observation. In Sweden, the rates of glioblastoma underwent most changes, namely the increase in glioblastoma rates in Sweden in the years after the introduction of that code by the cancer registry, since a new code is not mandatorily fully used immediately after it is introduced....
To sum up, our simplified and more sophisticated analyses appeared to indicate that the small increase in IR of men age 40-59 and the marked increase in RR of men aged 60-69 were generally not compatible with the same mobile phone related risks increases. When models in which the totality of the IR increases were assumed to be associated with mobile phone effects, a RR of 1.31 that would start 20 years after first using a mobile phone was borderline compatible between these 2 age groups, while all other induction periods (0, 5, 10, 15 years) or heavy users risk scenarios produced RR estimates and CI which did not overlap between the 2 age groups when the same exposure distribution was considered. When half of the IR increases were attributed to other factors, none of the mobile phone related risks scenarios were compatible with the data, in the SIR analyses (assuming the same risk in both age groups). When most (75%) of the IR increases were attributed to other factors, then small excess risks (RR= 1.08 applying to all users after 10 years) or risks after long latencies (RR = 1.3 applying to all users after 20 years) were compatible with the observed incidence rates and exposure distributions that we assumed. Further work on these scenarios could shed more light on the remaining uncertainties. Of note, scenarios of risks limited to heavy users groups did not appear compatible with the observed number of cases in these analyses....
Our simulation study is not free of assumptions. The induction period relating mobile phone use and glioma risk, if such an association exists, is unknown, so is the magnitude of the risk, and the real patterns may be more complex than the scenarios that we simulated. In addition, there are several factors that we did not account for. The coverage of the Nordic cancer registries was not complete, but some 1.5% to 10% of the malignant tumours were missed in this age group. In Sweden, it has been estimated that completeness would not have changed over the period 1998-2014, while completeness might have improved in other countries. We modelled that other, yet to be discovered, risk factors of the disease as well as improvement in its detection and reporting had a smooth, gradual impact, over the period 1979-2016, which is consistent with the gradually increasing IR. We used 3 sources of information on the use of mobile phones, all self-reported, to evaluate the prevalence of use and heavy use up to 2002, 2008 or 2016 and extrapolated the prevalences for the periods and age groups for which no data was available, based on the trends observed in the other age groups. The use of hands-free devices was not accounted for, although this was not frequent in these populations (data not shown).
In conclusion, it is difficult to demonstrate the absence of risk, in real life condition, and assumptions about the impact of the improvement of diagnosis tools, treatment and registration changes over time were used in our simulations. However, based both on the observed IR and the simulations, we reiterate and strengthen our previous conclusion that, the risk, should one exist, ought to be lower or occur after a longer induction period or act on a smaller population, or a combination of these, than most of the level of risk that have been reported in previously published case-control studies.
Conclusions
In this project we projected incidence rates of glioma under various scenarios of mobile phone-associated increased glioma risks, and compared them with the observed incidence rates in the Nordic countries. The comparison was carried out on the data of men aged 40 to 69 years. The modelled scenarios included risk increases reported from analytical epidemiological studies, which were all of case-control design. Most of those results were shown to be implausible in our simulations, implying that biases and errors in the self-reported use of mobile phones have likely distorted their findings. An increased risk in the 10% heaviest mobile phone users was an exception to this general situation, as it remained plausible. Results of cohort studies showing no association were compatible with observed incidence rates. We also studied what hypothetical mobile phone-related risks were conceivable if the changes in incidence rates in 40-59 year old and 60-69 year old men were fully attributable to mobile phone use. The fact that we observed different hypothetical risks in these two age groups while research at present has not suggested that older men should have higher risk related to mobile phone use than younger men, does not align with the assumption that mobile phone exposures caused the incidence rate trends. This ecological data is not sufficient to dismiss every potential mobile phone related risk scenario, but suggests that the risk – if it exists - would be very small, only occur after very long latency periods of several decades, or only affect small subgroups within glioma patients.
Open access report: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/bitstream/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022063033222/4/BfS_2022_3618S00000.pdf
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Incidence trends of adult malignant brain tumors in Finland, 1990-2016
Natukka T, Raitanen J, Haapasalo H, Auvinen A. Incidence trends of adult malignant brain tumors in Finland, 1990-2016. Acta Oncol. 2019 Apr 15:1-7. doi: 10.1080/0284186X.2019.1603396.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported increased incidence trends of malignant gliomas in the late 1900s with a plateau in the 2000s, but also some recent increases have been reported. The purpose of our study was to analyze incidence trends of malignant gliomas in Finland by morphology and tumor location.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data on 4730 malignant glioma patients were obtained from case notifications to the nationwide, population-based Finnish Cancer Registry (FCR), and less detailed data on 3590 patients up to 2016. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) and average annual percent changes (APCs) in the incidence rates were calculated by histological subtype and tumor location.
RESULTS: The incidence rate of gliomas was 7.7/100,000 in 1990-2006 and 7.3 in 2007-2016. The incidence of all gliomas combined was stable during both study periods, with no departure from linearity. In an analysis by age group, increasing incidence was found only for ages 80 years and older (1990-2006). During both study periods, incidence rates were increasing in glioblastoma and decreasing in unspecified brain tumors. In 1990-2006, rates were also increasing for anaplastic oligodendroglioma, oligoastrocytoma and unspecified malignant glioma, while decreasing for astrocytoma. As for tumor location, incidence in 1990-2006 was increasing for frontal lobe and brainstem tumors, as well as those with an unspecified location, but decreasing for the parietal lobes, cerebrum and ventricles.
CONCLUSIONS: No increasing incidence trend was observed for malignant gliomas overall. An increasing incidence trend of malignant gliomas was found in the oldest age group during 1990-2006.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30985227

Excerpts
The incidence trend of glioblastoma was slightly increasing (APC: +0.8%; 95% CI: 0.0, +1.7 for 1990–2006 and +1.9%; 95% CI: +0.2, +3.5 for 2007–2016; Tables 2 and 3).
Incidence of glioblastoma increased slightly throughout the study period, while unspecified tumors of the brain showed a decreasing incidence trend.
We also found a slightly increasing incidence trend for the most common histological subtype, glioblastoma, which is consistent with several other studies [1,5,7–9,11,17,18]. A study from United States showed an increasing incidence trend for gliomas in the frontal lobe and decreasing trends for the cerebrum, ventricles and overlapping subtypes [17].

References
[1] Ostrom QT, Gittleman H, Liao P, et al. CBTRUS statistical report: primary brain and other central nervous system tumors diagnosed in the United States in 2010–2014. Neuro Oncol. 2017;19: v1–v88.
[5] Ho VKY, Reijneveld JC, Enting RH, et al. Changing incidence and improved survival of gliomas. Eur J Cancer. 2014;50:2309–2318. [7] Arora RS, Alston RD, Eden TOB, et al. Are reported increases in incidence of primary CNS tumours real? An analysis of longitudinal trends in England, 1979–2003. Eur J Cancer. 2010;46: 1607–1616. [8] Deorah S, Lynch CF, Sibenaller ZA, et al. Trends in brain cancer incidence and survival in the United States: surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program, 1973 to 2001. Neurosurg Focus. 2006;20:E1. [9] Hess KR, Broglio KR, Bondy ML. Adult glioma incidence trends in the United States, 1977–2000. Cancer. 2004;101:2293–2299. [11] Lonn S, Klaeboe L, Hall P, et al. Incidence trends of adult primary intracerebral tumors in four Nordic countries. Int J Cancer. 2004; 108:450–455. [17] Zada G, Bond AE, Wang YP, et al. Incidence trends in the anatomic location of primary malignant brain tumors in the United States: 1992–2006. World Neurosurg. 2012;77:518–524. [18] Dubrow R, Darefsky AS. Demographic variation in incidence of adult glioma by subtype, United States, 1992–2007. BMC Cancer. 2011;11:325. --
Trends in the incidence of primary brain, central nervous system and intracranial tumors in Israel, 1990-2015
Keinan-Boker L, Friedman E, Silverman BG. Trends in the incidence of primary brain, central nervous system and intracranial tumors in Israel, 1990-2015. Cancer Epidemiol. 2018 Oct;56:6-13. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2018.07.003.
Highlights
• Exponential growth in cellphone use fueled concerns regarding brain and CNS tumors. • Results so far are inconsistent. Studying cancer incidence trends may thus be informative. • We studied brain tumor trends from 1990 to 2015 in Israel, when cellphone use dramatically increased. • Results do not support a substantial role for cellphone use; smaller risks in special subgroups may exist. • Future research is needed; implementation of the precautionary principle is prudent.

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The association between cellphone technology and brain, central nervous system (CNS) and intracranial tumors is unclear. Analysis of trends in incidence of such tumors for periods during which cellphone use increased dramatically may add relevant information. Herein we describe secular trends in the incidence of primary tumors of the brain and CNS from 1990 to 2015 in Israel, a period during which cellphone technology became extremely prevalent in Israel.
METHODS: All cases of primary brain, CNS and intracranial tumors (excluding lymphomas) diagnosed in Israel from 1990 to 2015 were identified in the Israel National Cancer Registry database and categorized by behavior (malignant; benign/uncertain behavior) and histologic type. Annual age-standardized incidence rates by sex and population group (Jews; Arabs) were computed, and the annual percent changes and 95% confidence intervals per category were calculated using Joinpoint software.
RESULTS: Over 26 years (1990-2015) no significant changes in the incidence of malignant brain, CNS and intracranial tumors were observed, except for an increase in malignant glioma incidence in Jewish women up to 2008 and Arab men up to 2001, which levelled off in both subgroups thereafter. The incidence of benign/uncertain behavior brain, CNS and intracranial tumors increased in most population groups up to the mid-2000s, a trend mostly driven by changes in the incidence of meningioma, but either significantly decreased (Jews) or stabilized (Arabs) thereafter.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are not consistent with a discernable effect of cellphone use patterns in Israel on incidence trends of brain, CNS and intracranial tumors.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30015055
Excerpts

"When cancer occurrence rates referred to glioblastomas only, Joinpoint analysis of incidence trends was restricted to the period from 1995 to 2015 due to small numbers of cases in the Arab population prior to 1995. Stable incidence trends were noted, with non-significant APCs, in all population subgroups: APC1995–2015 for Jewish men was +0.6% (95%CI -0.4%,+1.6%); APC1995–2015 for Jewish women was +0.6% (95%CI -0.1%,+1.6%); APC1995–2015 for Arab men was -1.6% (95%CI -3.9%,+0.8%); APC1995–2015 for Arab women was +0.4% (95%CI -2.9%,+3.8%).
Analysis of time trends by age groups disclosed stable trends in most population- age- and sex groups, except for a mild increase in Jewish males aged 65 and over (APC1990–2015 +1.2%, p < 0.05) and in Arab males aged 20–64 (APC1990–2015 +1.5%, p < 0.05). In the population of Arab females, lack of cases in the age groups of 20–64 and 65+ in certain years prevented an analysis of trends."
"However, ecologic studies, of which ours is an example, may be insensitive to excess in risk which is restricted to certain groups (for example, heavy users or subjects exposed from very young ages) or to certain tumor types (e.g., tumors that are very rare, that involve specific anatomical sites, or that have unusually long latency periods) [34]. Little et al. [35] also commented that the predicted rates of glioma based on data derived from the small proportion of highly exposed people in the Interphone study, could be consistent with the observed rates in their study [35]. Therefore, although a substantial risk is not very plausible, smaller risks cannot be ruled out and future research should address specific exposure groups, and tumor types and sites, and should allow for longer follow up periods." --

England: Brain Cancer Incidence Increased in Temporal and Frontal Lobes of Brain since 1995

A new study of cancer data in England essentially replicated the results of the Philips et al study (see below). The study found that the two age groups most vulnerable to carcinogenic effects from cell phone use -- young and elderly adults -- showed increased incidence over time in brain cancer in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain -- the two lobes that receive the greatest dose of microwave radiation when cell phones are used near the head during phone calls.

However, Frank de Vocht, the author of this paper, rejected the explanation that cell phone use caused the increased cancer risk. He attributed the increased incidence to better diagnosis of brain tumors, especially in the elderly. Of course, this does not explain why the increase was only observed in the frontal and temporal lobes. He did not rule out the possibility that cell phone radiation may be a contributing factor to the observed increase.

Microwave News reported on this study and published the following graph obtained from Alasdair Philips (Microwave News, "Location, Location, Location: Aggressive Brain Tumors Tell a Story; GBM Rise Only in Frontal and Temporal Lobes, Oct 26, 2018.)




de Vocht F. Analyses of temporal and spatial patterns of Glioblastoma Multiforme and other brain cancers subtypes in relation to mobile phones using synthetic counterfactuals. Environmental Research. Available online 17 October 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.011.

Highlights

• English 1985–2005 brain cancer subtype rates were compared to counterfactual trends
• Excess GBM increases were found in the frontal and temporal lobes, and cerebellum
• Mobile phone use was unlikely to have been an important putative factor
• No evidence of an effect of mobile phone use on acoustic neuroma and meningioma

Abstract

This study assesses whether temporal trends in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in different brain regions, and of different malignant and benign (including acoustic neuroma and meningioma) subtypes in the temporal lobe, could be associated with mobile phone use.

Annual 1985–2005 incidence of brain cancer subtypes for England were linked to population-level covariates. Bayesian structural timeseries were used to create 2006–2014 counterfactual trends, and differences with measured newly diagnosed cases were interpreted as causal effects.

Increases in excess of the counterfactuals for GBM were found in the temporal (+38% [95% Credible Interval -7%,78%]) and frontal (+36% [-8%,77%]) lobes, which were in agreement with hypothesised temporal and spatial mechanisms of mobile phone usage, and cerebellum (+59% [-0%,120%]). However, effects were primarily present in older age groups, with largest effects in 75+ and 85+ groups, indicating mobile phone use is unlikely to have been an important putative factor. There was no evidence of an effect of mobile phone use on incidence of acoustic neuroma and meningioma.

Although 1985–2014 trends in GBM in the temporal and frontal lobes, and probably cerebellum, seem consistent with mobile phone use as an important putative factor, age-group specific analyses indicate that it is unlikely that this correlation is causal.

Excerpts

Assessment of specific cancer subtypes in the temporal lobe indicated that the excess incidence was mainly found for GBM, with similar trends observed in the frontal lobe and cerebellum.... The increased rates of specific brain cancer subtypes in excess of the counterfactuals correspond to the spatial and temporal patterns that would be expected if exposure to RF from mobile phones were an important putative factor (Cardis et al., 2008, Morgan et al., 2016) ... However, age group-specific analyses indicate that the excess relative impacts increased with age over 65 years and were primarily found in the very old (75/85+ years of age) for whom it is unlikely that mobile phone use had been an important causal factor. In addition, excess numbers of newly diagnosed cases were also observed in the young (<24 years of age) for whom mobile phone use is also an unlikely causal factor....

The assumption that a 10-year lag was the most plausible period between first exposure and when increased risk could be observed in registry data was based on the previous analyses (De Vocht (2016)). Although sensitivity analysis using a 15-year lag showed no evidence of excesses relative to counterfactuals, this may still have been too short....
This study, in agreement with other data from the UK and elsewhere, shows that the incidence of glioblastoma multiforme (astrocytoma grade IV) has increased significantly since the 1980s, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes and cerebellum. However, it further provides evidence that the trend of increasing numbers of newly diagnosed cases of glioblastoma multiforme in the temporal lobe (but likely in the frontal lobe and cerebellum as well) since the mid-1980s, although seemingly consistent with the hypothesis of exposure to radiofrequency radiation from mobile phones being an important putative factor, should to a large extent (if not exclusively) be attributed to another factor or factors; of which improvements in diagnostic techniques, especially in the elderly, seems the most plausible. Although these analyses indicate that it is unlikely that exposure to RF from mobile phones is an important putative factor, they also cannot exclude it as a contributing factor completely. It is therefore important to keep monitoring incidence trend data.
Competing financial interests declaration: The author has previously done consulting for EPRI [Electric Power Research Institute], not related to this work.
Financial support: No external funding was obtained for this study.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935118305462?via%3Dihub

Mar 25, 2018

England: Rates of Aggressive Brain Cancer Increased from 1995 to 2014
A newly-published study of brain tumor incidence trends in England from 1995 to 2014 found that the trends over time varied by type of cancer, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes.
The study found "a sustained and highly statistically significant" increase in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common brain cancer, across all ages. The rate of GBM more than doubled from 2.4 to 5.0 per 100,000 people. However, this increase was mostly hidden because the overall malignant brain tumor trend was relatively flat due to a reduced incidence of lower grade brain tumors.
In England in 1995, when the tumor site was specified at the time of diagnosis, the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain accounted for 41% of malignant brain tumors. By 2015, these two sites accounted for 60% of the tumors.
One cannot know from tumor registry data alone what caused these differential trends in brain cancer. Based upon epidemiologic research, the most compelling explanation for the increased incidence in these deadly brain tumors, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes, may be exposure to microwave radiation due to widespread adoption of cell phones. However, the increased use of CT imaging scans is an alternative, but less compelling, explanation because far fewer people would have been exposed to this form of ionizing radiation.
In the U.S., Zada and his colleagues (2012) obtained similar results in an analysis of national tumor registry data from 1992 to 2006.
Those who cite statistics which appear to show a flat-line trend in overall brain tumor incidence and argue that cell phone use doesn't cause brain cancer need to examine data on the location and type of brain tumors over time.
Also see:
Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US: Role of Cellphone & Cordless Phone Use
The Incidence of Meningioma, a Non-Malignant Brain Tumor, is Increasing in the U.S.

Microwave News. "Aggressive Brain Tumors on the Rise in England." March 25, 2018. https://microwavenews.com/news-center/gbms-rising-uk

Source: Alasdair Philips via Microwave News.

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Brain tumours: rise in Glioblastoma Multiforme incidence in England 1995–2015 suggests an adverse environmental or lifestyle factor
Alasdair Philips, Denis L. Henshaw, Graham Lamburn, and Michael O'Carroll. Brain tumours: rise in Glioblastoma Multiforme incidence in England 1995–2015 suggests an adverse environmental or lifestyle factor. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. Article ID 7910754, https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7910754. 2018.
Highlights
• A clear description of the changing pattern in incidence of brain tumour types • The study used extensive data from an official and recognised quality source • The study included histological and morphological information • The study identified a significant and concerning incidence time trend • Some evidence is provided to help guide future research into causal mechanisms
Abstract
Objective To investigate detailed trends in malignant brain tumour incidence over a recent time period.
Methods UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) data covering 81,135 ICD10 C71 brain tumours diagnosed in England (1995–2015) were used to calculate incidence rates (ASR) per 100k person–years, age–standardised to the European Standard Population (ESP–2013).
Results We report a sustained and highly statistically significant ASR rise in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) across all ages. The ASR for GBM more than doubled from 2.4 to 5.0, with annual case numbers rising from 983 to 2531. Overall, this rise is mostly hidden in the overall data by a reduced incidence of lower grade tumours.
Conclusions The rise is of importance for clinical resources and brain tumour aetiology. The rise cannot be fully accounted for by promotion of lower–grade tumours, random chance or improvement in diagnostic techniques as it affects specific areas of the brain and only one type of brain tumour. Despite the large variation in case numbers by age, the percentage rise is similar across the age groups which suggests widespread environmental or lifestyle factors may be responsible.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2018/7910754/abs/
Conclusions
1/. We show a linear, large and highly statistically significant increase in primary GBM tumours over 21 years from 1995–2015, especially in frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. This has aetiological and resource implications. 2/. Although most of the cases are in the group over 54 years of age, the age–standardised AAPC rise is strongly statistically significant in all our three main analysis age groups.
3/. The rise in age–standardised incidence cannot be fully accounted for by improved diagnosis as it affects specific areas of the brain and just one type of brain tumour which is generally fatal. We suggest that widespread environmental or lifestyle factors may be responsible.
4/. Our results highlight an urgent need for funding more research into the initiation and promotion of GBM tumours. This should include the use of CT imaging for diagnosis and also modern lifestyle factors that may affect tumour metabolism.







Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
2.3.2023 21:47

Recent Research on Wireless Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields


I have been circulating abstracts of newly-published scientific papers on radio frequency and other non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) monthly since 2016. The collection contains more than 1,800 abstracts and links to more than 1,900 papers. Several hundred EMF scientists around the world receive these updates.
To download Volume 2 which contains abstracts of papers published since 2021 (including the new papers listed below) click on the following link (638 page pdf):https://bit.ly/EMF2021-on03-2023.
To download Volume 1 which contains abstracts of papers published from 2016 to 2020click on the following link (875 page pdf):https://bit.ly/EMF2016-2020.

The abstracts for recently published papers appear below.
Problems in evaluating the health impacts of radio frequency radiation
Ishai PB, Davis D, Taylor H, Birnbaum L. Problems in evaluating the health impacts of radio frequency radiation. Environmental Research. 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115038.
Abstract
In an effort to clarify the nature of causal evidence regarding the potential impacts of RFR [radio frequency radiation] on biological systems, this paper relies on a well-established framework for considering causation expanded from that of Bradford Hill, that combines experimental and epidemiological evidence on carcinogenesis of RFR. The Precautionary Principle, while not perfect, has been the effective lodestone for establishing public policy to guard the safety of the general public from potentially harmful materials, practices or technologies. Yet, when considering the exposure of the public to anthropogenic electromagnetic fields, especially those arising from mobile communications and their infrastructure, it seems to be ignored. The current exposure standards recommended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) consider only thermal effects (tissue heating) as potentially harmful. However, there is mounting evidence of non-thermal effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation in biological systems and human populations. We review the latest literature on in vitro and in vivo studies, on clinical studies on electromagnetic hypersensitivity, as well as the epidemiological evidence for cancer due to the action of mobile-based radiation exposure. We question whether the current regulatory atmosphere truly serves the public good when considered in terms of the Precautionary Principle and the principles for deducing causation established by Bradford Hill. We conclude that there is substantial scientific evidence that RFR causes cancer, endocrinological, neurological and other adverse health effects. In light of this evidence the primary mission of public bodies, such as the FCC to protect public health has not been fulfilled. Rather, we find that industry convenience is being prioritized and thereby subjecting the public to avoidable risks.
Excerpts
The perennial question of the biological impacts of Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR) constitutes an especially challenging matter that has come to the fore recently, in part driven by public concerns over the introduction of 5G mobile communications. 5G Small Cell base stations are permitted to be sited as close as 3 m [meters] from the ground in proximity to homes, schools and offices in many locales in the US. In the U.S. alone, the industry estimates that up to one million new antennas will be required. 5G ranges broadly from 800 MHz to 100 GHz ...
It is important to note that such dismissive studies presume that the sole biological impact of RFR is a consequence of heating. This presumption ignores a substantial body of independent studies finding that RFR induces numerous adverse biochemical changes affecting the formation of free radicals, the rates of cell growth and death, and cellular membrane transport. These changes are widely reported in organisms as diverse as plants, animals, and humans. Furthermore, the Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services (Belpoggi, 2021) of the European Union, and an independent Swiss government scientific advisory group (BERENIS) reaches similar conclusions, adding that "EMF (Electromagnetic Fields) are probably carcinogenic for humans, in particular related to gliomas and acoustic neuromas." In addition, they add that "… … 450–6000 MHz: these frequencies clearly affect male fertility and possibly female fertility too. They may have adverse effects on the development of embryos, fetuses and newborns". This indicates that EMF/RF functions like a classic endocrine disruptor impairing both male and female reproductive functions....
... Recent experimental and epidemiological studies have added considerably to the record and have led Miller et al., 2018 to conclude that on the basis of evidence amassed as of 2018 RFR constitutes a class one proven human carcinogen. Another more recent report concurred (Hardell and Carlberg, 2020), as do the recent publications by Lin (2022b) and the (International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF), 2022). This paper builds further on those records and provides an update on the science applying the principles for deducing a causal relationship between RFR and cancer.
These conclusions regarding the carcinogenic and other potential adverse effects of RFR are not shared equally, with strong dissent provided by a vocal number of industry-affiliated scientists (Foster et al., 2000, 2022; Grimes, 2021; Repacholi, 2010). While some that have questioned the causal nature of the relationship may be well-meaning, a disproportionate number of those who discount the data are in the direct or indirect employ of the affected telecom industries. As a result, the ability to carry out independent analysis of the matter remains hampered, fueled in no small part by the genuine complexity of the topic and by a well-organized effort to 'manufacture doubt' (Alster, 2015; Weller et al., 2022).
Given the unprecedented and exponentially rising growth in worldwide exposures to this technology, the lack of a vibrant well-funded program of training and research constitutes a major problem. Since the 1990s, panels of government and other experts have repeatedly examined the scientific evidence, found it wanting and called for more research to be conducted. Although the call for further research constitutes the one matter on which all are agreed, funding for this work remains quite limited. Thus, the principal output of such inquiries is to recommend research but has not resulted in major ongoing funding for such research. By the end of the 1990s, Motorola had closed its world class bioelectromagnetics laboratory. The U.S. government programs on the subject were defunded by Congress at the same time. Thus, on this matter the absence of evidence is not proof of safety. Rather it is an indication of the intense struggle that has led to a lack of funding with respect to critical research questions, the failure to monitor human and environmental health impacts, and the ongoing manufacturing of doubt that has been documented by a number of experts (Davis, 2010)....
To clarify the matter, this four-part review evaluates the epistemological foundations for concluding that RFR is carcinogenic in animals and humans. First, we explore possible mechanisms of action underlying biological impacts of non-ionizing RFR. Then we assess recent key experimental findings including detailed reports from the genetic toxicology component of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) study (M. Wyde et al., 2018). We also evaluate evidence from evaluations of exposed human populations obtained through case-control and population-based studies. Finally, we consider the weight of evidence that RFR constitutes a carcinogen and also promotes other negative health effects....
Conclusion

There is a plethora of both experimental and epidemiological evidence establishing a causal relationship between EMF and cancer and other adverse health effects including adverse effects on fetal development and the endocrine system. Increases in biochemical alterations such as DNA damage, increased production of free radicals and other signals found to be predictive of cancer and other degenerative diseases have been clearly demonstrated. While the evidence is not consistent, the reasons for that inconsistency merit independent review and assessment. A number of industry-affiliated scientists have offered criticisms that are subject to bias, as we have outlined here. If progress is to be made in improving the public understanding of this complicated issue, it is imperative to insist on a complete picture of the evidence that relies on independent science.

While we may disagree strongly with the conclusions some critics have provided, we concur wholeheartedly that there is a need for a serious concerted program of research. No such program exists with support from National governments in the United States and Canada. The job of the government is to ensure the protection of Public Health. We earnestly hope that as the situation evolves, those in positions to create the training and funding for major interdisciplinary research programs in engineering, medicine, toxicology, and bioelectromagnetics will do so. In the meantime, we add our voices to those of more than four hundred experts in the field calling for discussion of a moratorium on 5G. Without such a program we are effectively conducting an uncontrolled experiment on ourselves, our families, and our children.

Indeed, the subject of RFR and carcinogenicity remains truly complex. Studies have to simulate intricate exposures that are taking place every day to billions of people around the world. Given the ubiquity of the technology, as we move ahead it will not be possible to find an unexposed control group in the modern world. The inarguable intricacy of the technology can easily become a way of confusing rather than clarifying the matter. The subject of the impact of RFR on human health is one of the most important topics of our age. It is one in which the general public seeks clear answers to a collective, but poorly defined angst. It is the job of experts to present the state of knowledge in clear and concise language that the layman can understand. The numerous omissions and distortions in recent articles originating from the industry perspective do not meet this criteria. The medical and public health communities deserve the whole story, no matter how complicated or unpalatable it may be. There is an abundance of evidence pointed towards deleterious effects of RFR exposure on human health. Further, the growing applications of low levels of RF in medicine through electroceuticals constitutes evidence per se of biological impacts (Mishra, 2017). Any agent that can be beneficial, whether aspirin or oncology drugs, can also have negative impacts. Consequently, it is imperative to insist on a complete picture of the evidence and not the whitewashed or distorted version currently promoted. The need to take into account the complete weight of the evidence in devising regulatory policies is widely ignored to our detriment. It is time that the Precautionary Principle be applied to RFR.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935122023659
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Special issue editorial: In vivo experimental studies of prenatal and neonatal exposures to EMF provide grounds for epidemiological surveillance and precaution
Kaplan S, Davis DL, Steinbusch HWM. Special issue editorial: In vivo experimental studies of prenatal and neonatal exposures to EMF provide grounds for epidemiological surveillance and precaution. J Chem Neuroanat. 2023 Feb 1;129:102238. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2023.102238.

No abstract
Excerpt

The widespread use of wireless communication tools such as mobile phones and their effects on human health requires serious investigation. Since cell phones are employed in close proximity to the brain and body, the impact of exposure to different frequencies of EMF on the central nervous system also requires careful evaluation. This special issue provides an in-depth look at the effects of different frequencies of EMF emitted from mobile phones on the brain. The findings can be regarded as preliminary indications of a wide range of potential neurological problems that may be expected to increase in the near future, extending from behavioral issues to autism and other more serious neuronal disturbances.

We hope that this special issue, which covers the effects of EMF exposure on the nervous system and neurodevelopmental processes, will encourage researchers to conduct epidemiological studies on human subjects. In the meantime, we concur with those researchers that conclude that current experimental evidence provides grounds for reducing human exposures to wireless radiation, especially for the young, pregnant woman and men who wish to father healthy children.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36736746

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Development of the Microwave Syndrome in Two Men Shortly after Installation of 5G on the Roof above their Office
Nilsson M, Hardell L. Development of the Microwave Syndrome in Two Men Shortly after Installation of 5G on the Roof above their Office. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2023; 8: 2378.
Abstract

The 5th generation, 5G, for wireless communication is rolled out without previous studies on potential effects on human health and the environment. In this case study we describe two men, case 1 and case 2, working in three office rooms close to base stations. After the deployment of 5G, both men developed symptoms typical for the microwave syndrome, e.g., headache, tinnitus, dizziness, balance disorder, concentration and attention deficiency, and fatigue. Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR) after the 5G deployment was measured in the three offices. In office one maximum (peak) RFR during one minute varied from 463 to 1,180,000 μW/m2, in office two from 6,230 to 501,000 and in office three from 13,700 to 613,000 μW/m2. The symptoms disappeared in both men within a couple of weeks (case 1) or immediately (case 2) after leaving the office for other offices with much lower maximum peak RFR emissions, maximum for case 1 =16 and for case 2 =2,920 μW/m2. This case report may be regarded as a provocation study on health from 5G RFR. The clinical picture in both men was clearly related to the exposure, although the exposures were well below the guidelines recommended by ICNIRP that are claimed to protect against all health effects. We conclude that the guidelines for RFR exposure based only on tissue heating by ICNIRP are inadequate to protect human health and that 5G appears to provoke symptoms of microwave syndrome in previously healthy people.

Open access paper: https://www.anncaserep.com/abstract.php?aid=9589
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Overview of the Evaluation Methods for the Maximum EMF Exposure in 5G Networks
Fellan A, Schotten HD. Overview of the Evaluation Methods for the Maximum EMF Exposure in 5G Networks. 2022 IEEE Conference on Standards for Communications and Networking (CSCN), Thessaloniki, Greece, 2022, pp. 53-57, doi: 10.1109/CSCN57023.2022.10050915.
Abstract
Instantaneous measurements of the electromagnetic field (EMF) strength do not reflect the maximum exposure levels possible in a given location. An extrapolation factor needs to be applied to the measurements before comparing them against the local exposure guidelines or recommendations for compliance evaluation. For the fifth generation (5G) networks, a standardized approach for extrapolating EMF values is yet to be defined. This work provides an overview of the state-of-the-art research that focuses on estimating the maximum EMF exposure caused by radiation from 5G base stations. It also considers current efforts by national and international organizations to establish standardized methods for extrapolating the EMF measurements which is necessary in investigating conformance with the EMF guidelines and regulations.

Conclusions
In this work, we provided a short review of current research on the extrapolation of 5G NR EMF measurements to the maximum EMF exposure values; a necessary step to ensure the compliance of 5G NR BSs with the EMF exposure limits and guidelines, set by organizations such as the ICNIRP or the responsible national regulatory authorities, that are intended to protect humans and the environment. We classified the research efforts based on the measurement method used in the two main categories of frequency-selective and code-selective methods. We also summarized some of the national and international standardization endeavours that aim to set a reference method for evaluating the human EMF exposure taking into consideration the recent 5G technology. We plan to use this overview as a foundation for choosing the appropriate measurement methodology and EMF extrapolation method to assess our recently deployed 5G campus network in Kaiser-slautern [9].
https://ieeexplore-ieee-org.libproxy.berkeley.edu/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10050915&isnumber=10050893
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Occupational Exposure to Nonionizing Radiation and Risk for Malignancy in Young Adults

Shapira S, Nitecki M, Tzur D, Schwartz N, Silverman BG, Zack O, Friedensohn-Zuck L. Occupational Exposure to Nonionizing Radiation and Risk for Malignancy in Young Adults. Military Medicine, 2023. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usad020.
Abstract
Introduction Nonionizing radiation (NIR) is considered "possibly carcinogenic to humans," and therefore, exposure of young military personnel raises concerns regarding increased risk for cancer. The aim of our study was to compare the cancer incidence in exposed and nonexposed populations in order to gain better understanding of their risk.
Materials and Methods A longitudinal retrospective cohort study, between 2009 and 2018, was conducted. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) aerial defense units service members, with NIR exposure (range of 2-300 GHz, below the International Commission of Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines), were compared with a similar sociodemographic group of service members without NIR exposure. Both groups were followed for cancer incidence (all-cause and specific malignancies). Kaplan–Meier analysis of cancer-free survival and univariate and multivariable logistic regressions for possible confounders and risk factors were performed. This analysis was repeated on a matched 1:1 control group.
Results Exposure and comparison groups included 3,825 and 11,049 individuals, respectively. Forty-one cases diagnosed with cancer were identified during the follow-up time (mean 4.8 [±2.7] years), 13 (0.34%) of which were reported in the exposure group, and 28 (0.25%) were reported in the comparison group. The odds ratio (OR) for cancer incidence in the exposure vs. control groups was 1.34 (95%CI, 0.70-2.60), P-value = 0.3807. The results remained unchanged after adjustment for sex, age at enrollment, service length, socioeconomic status, and military occupation (adjOR = 1.38 [95%CI, 0.67-2.82], P = 0.3818).
Conclusions Our study did not find an increased short-term risk for cancer in young adults exposed to NIR radiation as compared with unexposed young adults.
Excerpts
A trend toward a higher rate of hematological and testicular malignancies was reported, albeit was statistically insignificant.

The main shortcoming of most epidemiological data, both in the military and in mobile communication risk assessment, is a lack of a personal exposure dose measurement.... Another limitation is the relatively short follow-up period (a median of 4.4 years in the exposed group), which may be insufficient to diagnose some types of malignancies, although following our population for over 17,710 person years. Considering the rarity of cancer diagnosis in young adults, this study might have been underpowered to detect the effect of NIR because of an overall small number of cases despite the large cohort.

In this study, occupational exposure to NIR radiation did not increase the risk for cancer in young adults during the 9-year follow-up, as compared with unexposed individuals. Constant regulation of exposures by the IDF Occupational Health Administration as well as epidemiological surveillance is important for monitoring and reassessing possible health effects of modern radar systems.
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/advance-article/doi/10.1093/milmed/usad020/7025337
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Effect of Mobile Phone use on Hearing in Young Adults: An Observational Study
Sharma D, Chauhan A, Thakur S. Effect of Mobile Phone use on Hearing in Young Adults: An Observational Study. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Dec;74(Suppl 3):3754-3757. doi: 10.1007/s12070-021-02523-x.
Abstract
There are concerns regarding the health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by mobile phones. There are apprehensions regarding the effect of these radiations on auditory system. The objective of this study was to find the effect of mobile phone on hearing in young adults. We studied 75 medical students who were mobile phone users for >1 year. Initial hearing status of subjects was assessed by Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA), Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) at the time of enrollment in the study and repeat audiological assessment was conducted at 6 months and again at one year and comparison was done. The mean age of the population was 20.13 + 1.33 years. Right, left and no particular preference for any ear was seen in 74.7%, 16% and 9.3%, respectively. Mean PTA at baseline in right ear at baseline, 6 months and 1 year was 12.71 ± 3.51 dB, 13.73 ± 3.69 dB and 14.07 ± 3.25 dB (p value=0.120), respectively and the same values for left ear were 13.28±3.57, 14.32±3.10 and 14.24±3.20 (p = 0.170) at baseline, 6 months and 1 year. No statistically significant difference in hearing thresholds was seen at baseline and at subsequent follow-ups and between dominant ear and non-dominant ear on BERA and OAE. We did not find any short term effect of mobile phones on the hearing in young adults, however, long term effect on hearing with progressing age cannot be ruled out.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36742690/
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Association of Autonomic Balance With Phone Call Duration in Healthy Individuals
Gangwar V, Gupta S, Verma M, Singh AK, John N, Jasrotia RB, Singh A. Association of Autonomic Balance With Phone Call Duration in Healthy Individuals. Cureus. 2023 Jan 9;15(1):e33566. doi: 10.7759/cureus.33566.
Abstract
Background This study aimed to estimate the association of autonomic balance with the duration of phone calls in healthy individuals.

Methodology A total of 30 subjects aged between 18 and 30 years without any established systemic disease and using mobile phones for more than five years with minimum daily usage of 30 minutes were included in this analytical study. Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded using a three-channel physiograph (AD Instruments South Asia (India) Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India) with the software LabChart PROV8.1.8 with HRV Module version 2.0.3 for 10 minutes. Time domain parameters were recorded in terms of the standard deviation of normal to normal interval (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), R-R intervals greater than 50 ms (pRR50), and mean heart rate (MHR), and frequency domain parameters were total power, low-frequency power (LF), high-frequency power (HF), and the ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency power (LF/HF). HRV was recorded three times in each subject that included baseline HRV, HRV during the use of a mobile phone, and HRV after the use of a mobile phone.

Results A total of 30 subjects (14 males and 16 females) participated in this study. The mean age of participants was 31.93 ± 8.59 years (32.07 ± 9.87 years for males, and 31.81 ± 7.64 years for females). There were no findings of significant arrhythmia in any of the participants. There was a significant difference in pRR50 on comparing all three phases (p = 0.036). However, there was no significant variation in other parameters such as very low frequency (VLF, ms2), VLF (%), LF (ms2), LF (%), HF (ms2), HF (%), LF/HF, SDNN (ms), RMSSD (ms), Poincare plot standard deviation perpendicular to the line of identity (ms), Poincare plot standard deviation along the line of identity (ms), systolic blood pressure (mmHg), and diabolic blood pressure (mmHg) during, before, and after exposure to mobile phone calls. There was no significant difference in the value of all parameters between males and females (p < 0.05).

Conclusions Mobile phone calls may influence HRV and autonomic balance. This change may be affected by the electromagnetic field and by speaking as well.
Open access paper: https://www.cureus.com/articles/129516-association-of-autonomic-balance-with-phone-call-duration-in-healthy-individuals#!/
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Joint Uplink and Downlink EMF Exposure: Performance Analysis and Design Insights
Chen L, Elzanaty A, Kishk MA, Chiaraviglio L, Alouini M -S. Joint Uplink and Downlink EMF Exposure: Performance Analysis and Design Insights. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. 2023. doi: 10.1109/TWC.2023.3244155.
Abstract
Installing more base stations (BSs) into the existing cellular infrastructure is an essential way to provide greater network capacity and higher data rates in the 5th-generation cellular networks (5G). However, a non-negligible amount of the population is concerned that such network densification will generate a notable increase in exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMF) over the territory. In this paper, we analyze the downlink, uplink, and joint downlink&uplink exposure induced by the radiation from BSs and personal user equipment (UE), respectively, in terms of the received power density and exposure index. In our analysis, we consider the EMF restrictions set by the regulatory authorities such as the minimum distance between restricted areas (e.g., schools and hospitals) and BSs, and the maximum permitted exposure. Exploiting tools from stochastic geometry, mathematical expressions for the coverage probability and statistical EMF exposure are derived and validated. Tuning the system parameters such as the BS density and the minimum distance from a BS to restricted areas, we show a trade-off between reducing the population's exposure to EMF and enhancing the network coverage performance. Then, we formulate optimization problems to maximize the performance of the EMF-aware cellular network while ensuring that the EMF exposure complies with the standard regulation limits with high probability. For instance, the exposure from BSs is two orders of magnitude less than the maximum permissible level when the density of BSs is less than 20 BSs/km2.
Excerpt

In Fig. 16, when R < 100 m, the total exposure is mainly from the BSs in downlink but when R 100 m, downlink exposure is gradually decreasing and uplink exposure becomes dominant. Namely, there exists an optimal value, e.g., R = 100 m, that minimizes the total exposure for the network with λb = 104.5 BSs/m2.
Conclusions

This paper integrated the EMF restrictions on the coverage performance and exposure analysis and formulated optimization problems on how to design the EMF-aware cellular networks. Particularly, the distribution of BSs was generated by a 13 PHP, accounting for the distance between BSs and restricted areas where the presence of BSs is prohibited. Using tools of stochastic geometry, we analyzed the radiation and coverage probability in terms of downlink and uplink. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of system parameters on the joint downlink&uplink radiation from both BSs and UE through EI. With the aid of numerical results, we showed that even the conservative evaluation of the 95-th percentile of EMF exposure level can still comply with the international guidelines, and the exposure in more typical settings is far below the maximum permissible level. It can also be seen that increasing the baseline density of BSs or decreasing the permitted distance around restricted areas can reduce the exposure from mobile equipment in uplink while exacerbating the exposure from BSs in downlink. Such opposite trend demonstrated the reasonability of taking joint downlink&uplink exposure into account when designing the system parameters for the EMF- aware cellular network. We found that there exists optimal values of the distance between restricted areas and BSs and the baseline density of BSs that minimizes the total exposure under a certain network configuration.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10047969
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Investigation of Microwave Electromagnetic Fields in Open and Shielded Areas and Their Possible Effects on Biological Structure
Vaverka F, Smetana M, Gombarska D, Psenakova Z. Investigation of Microwave Electromagnetic Fields in Open and Shielded Areas and Their Possible Effects on Biological Structure. Sensors (Basel). 2023 Feb 20;23(4):2351. doi: 10.3390/s23042351.

Abstract

The article's subject is the investigation of electromagnetic fields (EMF) of the microwave frequency band in a typical human living environment, especially in shielded areas. The point of view of electromagnetic field presence in the environment with the rapid increase in the level of the electromagnetic background is currently an essential point concerning population protection against the potential adverse effects of such EMFs. The authors focus on actual measurements, especially in shielded spaces frequently used in everyday life, such as elevator cabins and cars. The goal is a quantitative evaluation of the distribution of specific vector quantities of the EM field and a comparison with the currently valid hygiene standards. Measured values in shielded spaces show elevated levels in contrast to the open space. However, the values do not exceed limits set by considering the thermal effect on living tissues.

Conclusions

This article dealt with the measurements of the EM field in the microwave frequency band in shielded areas. A dipole antenna was used to perform the experiments, while a discone antenna was also used to verify the measurement results and calibrate the instruments. The assessment of the degree of possible EMF influence in the microwave band was carried out given the current legislation in force in the EU. Hygienic limits set maximum permissible EMF values, converted to given tissue parameters, but they do not include situations where EMF sources are in a shielded environment (for example, underground parking garages, garages, cellars, personal elevators, etc.). This study showed that the values are significantly elevated in the premises in question. At the same time, under certain circumstances (for example, several people talking on the phone in an elevator simultaneously, etc.) it can potentially affect the proper function of various implantable electronic devices (pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.) [13,18,21].
Measurements in shielded spaces such as elevators and car cabins show the raised values of RF fields when using communication devices, even car-embedded hands-free. It is recommended to avoid using the phone in a shielded environment or vehicles. The effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields depend on the human health constitution and qualification.

The directives and standards limiting the exposure of EMF are electric field strength limits for the frequency range up to 1800 MHz for "Public" 58 V/m and "Occupational" 127 V/m and for the frequency range up to 2100 MHz for "Public" 61 V/m and "Occupational" 137 V/m. The electric field strength in shielded space is much lower in our measurements than in exposure limits. Nevertheless, it is advisable to approach the use of mobile devices, especially in shielded areas, with caution.

Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/4/2351
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Radiofrequency Exposure Levels in Greece
Tyrakis C, Theodorou K, Kiouvrekis Y, Alexias A, Kappas C. Radiofrequency Exposure Levels in Greece. Bioelectromagnetics. 2023 Feb 14. doi: 10.1002/bem.22434.
Abstract
Medical Physics Department (Medical School, University of Thessaly) participated in a Greek National EMF research program (EDBM34) with the scope to measure and evaluate radiofrequency (RF) exposure (27-3000 MHz) in areas of sensitive land use. A thousand (1000) measurements were carried out at two "metropolitan locations" (Athens and Thessaloniki: 624 points) and several rest urban/rural locations (376 points). SRM 3006 spectrum analyzer manufactured by Narda Safety Test Solutions was used. The broadband mean electric field in metropolitan areas was 0.41 V/m, while in the rest of Greece was 0.36 V/m. In metropolitan areas, the predominant RF source was the TV and Radio FM signals (36.2% mean contribution to the total RF exposure level). In the rest areas, the predominant source was the systems of the meteorological and military/defensive service (31.1%). The mobile sector contributed 14.9% in metropolitan areas versus 12.2% in the rest of Greece. The predominant mobile source was 900 MHz in both cases (4.5% in metropolitan areas vs. 3.3% in the rest of Greece). The total exposure from all RF sources complied with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 2020 safety guidelines [ICNIRP, 2020]. The maximum exposure level was 0.129% of the limit for the metropolitan areas vs. 0.110% for the rest of Greece. Nonremarkable differences between metropolitan areas' exposure and the rest of Greece. In most cases, new 5 G antennas will be added to the existing base stations. Thus, the total exposure may be increased, leading to higher safety distances.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36786436/
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Effects of generalization descriptions on risk perception
Freudenstein F, Boerner F, Croft RJ, Leung RWS, Loughran SP, Wiedemann PM. Effects of generalization descriptions on risk perception. Environ Res. 2023 Feb 2:115422. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115422.

Abstract

The study addresses the effects of generalization descriptions on risk perceptions. In a 1-factorial online experiment, 629 participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups. Group G1 received an excerpt of an original press release from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regarding mobile phones and cancer, classifying RF EMF as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Group G2 received an additional explanatory text module, and Group G3 received a rewritten text, with both G2 and G3 highlighting that the possible cancer risk only refers to mobile phones. Risk perceptions regarding cell phones and related personal devices, base stations, and high voltage power lines were used as dependent variables measured before and after text reading. Further, the degree to which participants generalized from cell phone-related to other RF EMF exposures was assessed to determine whether this was predictive of their post-text risk perceptions. Regarding risk perceptions, no differences between the three groups were observed after reading the presented texts. Instead, all three experimental groups indicated increased risk perceptions for all electromagnetic field sources. However, we found significant differences according to the prevailing risk generalization belief. Respondents expressing a strong risk generalization belief showed significantly higher risk perceptions for all tested EMF sources (except mobile phones) than subjects with a weak risk generalization belief.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36738768

Highlights
• The study investigated how different description formats regarding potential health effects influence risk perception.
• Further the role of respondents' risk generalization beliefs was investigated.
• The example of risk communication on electromagnetic fields (EMF) was used in an experimental setup.
• The study results indicate that all description formats elevated respondents' risk perception.
• It is also shown that a strong risk generalization belief leads to higher risk perceptions for all tested EMF sources.
Conclusion

Our findings point to the usefulness of Reyna's fuzzy trace theory for risk communication research (Reyna, 2021a, 2021b). This is because information does not equal knowledge. Studies analyzing effects of different information provision, such as in our study, cannot assume that the same information leads to the same knowledge and that different information leads to different knowledge. Therefore, it makes sense to consider manipulation checks that are common in psychological experiments from a theoretically perspective. Risk communication research would benefit from considering how information is interpreted and which mental representations are formed is essential when it comes to relevant risk communication.

The mental representation of given risk information, particularly the risk generalization belief, is critical for risk perception. These beliefs determine the risk perception of a group of associated exposure sources, in our case, mobile communication devices. Therefore, the risk generalization belief is a significant component of intuitive risk appraisal that should have a place in risk perception studies. Furthermore, we would like to underline that risk assessors should pay attention to indicate the scope of their risk evaluations, i.e., under which conditions and for which exposure sources they are valid. In addition, risk communicators should be aware of people's tendency towards risk generalization, and further research should explore how to correct generalization biases.

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Genotoxic Risks to Male Reproductive Health from Radiofrequency Radiation (Review)

Kaur P, Rai U, Singh R. Genotoxic Risks to Male Reproductive Health from Radiofrequency Radiation. Cells. 2023; 12(4):594. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12040594.

Abstract

During modern era, mobile phones, televisions, microwaves, radio, and wireless devices, etc., have become an integral part of our daily lifestyle. All these technologies employ radiofrequency (RF) waves and everyone is exposed to them, since they are widespread in the environment. The increasing risk of male infertility is a growing concern to the human population. Excessive and long-term exposure to non-ionizing radiation may cause genetic health effects on the male reproductive system which could be a primitive factor to induce cancer risk. With respect to the concerned aspect, many possible RFR induced genotoxic studies have been reported; however, reports are very contradictory and showed the possible effect on humans and animals. Thus, the present review is focusing on the genomic impact of the radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) underlying the male infertility issue. In this review, both in vitro and in vivo studies have been incorporated explaining the role of RFR on the male reproductive system. It includes RFR induced-DNA damage, micronuclei formation, chromosomal aberrations, SCE generation, etc. In addition, attention has also been paid to the ROS generation after radiofrequency radiation exposure showing a rise in oxidative stress, base adduct formation, sperm head DNA damage, or cross-linking problems between DNA & protein.

Conclusions

The present review reveals a better understanding of the genotoxic effects of radiofrequency radiation on male reproductive health emitted from mobile phones, laptops, microwaves, wireless networks, etc. The study focused on different endpoints such as DNA damage, micronuclei formation and genomic instability, SCE & chromosomal aberrations covering both in vitro and in vivo parameters. The available information following in vitro and in vivo exposure shows that all the yielded data has both positive and negative results. In this review, studies reported DNA fragmentation, apoptosis, and elevated protein expression in both human and animal spermatozoa, concluding a decrease in viability, mitochondrial genomic destruction and DNA strand breaks. Further micronuclei formation, SCE and chromosomal aberrations are also found to cause abnormalities, leading to the accumulation of mutations and hence causing cancer risk. While controversial investigation, on the other hand, supported with no effect on cellular apoptosis or DNA integrity. Our present study reviewed that RFR has insufficient energy production to generate genomic damage. Yet, such effects were probably found to be responsible for male infertility due to the indirect mechanism of oxidative stress via ROS generation in the exposed system. Few studies also suggested that the damage due to the cumulative effect of repeated exposure varies with physical parameters such as distance from the radiation source, short-term or long-term exposure duration, penetration depth, and frequency of exposure. Therefore, considering all data together, the present review supports the capability of radiofrequency radiation to induce genotoxicity underlying male infertility keeping some limitations in mind, since the report is a conclusion of narrative study and limited literature were found explaining the actual mechanism of micronuclei formation, sister chromatid exchange, chromosomal aberration and genomic instability. Hence, more studies are needed to elucidate the DNA damage mechanism with more robust study designs favoring potential genotoxic effects of RFR on male reproductive health.

Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/4/594

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Exposure to Low Levels of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Emitted from Cell-phones as a Promising Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Scoping Review Study
Shirbandi K, Khalafi M, J Bevelacqua J, Sadeghian N, Adiban S, Bahaeddini Zarandi F, Mortazavi SA, Mortazavi SH, Mortazavi SMJ, S Welsh J. Exposure to Low Levels of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Emitted from Cell-phones as a Promising Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Scoping Review Study. J Biomed Phys Eng. 2023 Feb 1;13(1):3-16. doi: 10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2109-1398.
Abstract
Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most significant public health concerns and tremendous economic challenges. Studies conducted over the past decades show that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) may relieve AD symptoms.

Objective: To determine if exposure to RF-EMFs emitted by cellphones affect the risk of AD.

Material and methods: In this review, all relevant published articles reporting an association of cell phone use with AD were studied. We systematically searched international datasets to identify relevant studies. Finally, 33 studies were included in the review. Our review discusses the effects of RF-EMFs on the amyloid β (Aβ), oxidative stress, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), neuronal death, and astrocyte responses. Moreover, the role of exposure parameters, including the type of exposure, its duration, and specific absorption rate (SAR), are discussed.

Results: Progressive factors of AD such as Aβ, myelin basic protein (MBP), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, and neurofilament light polypeptide (NFL) were decreased. While tau protein showed no change, factors affecting brain activity such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), cerebral blood flow (CBF), brain temperature, and neuronal activity were increased.
Conclusion: Exposure to low levels of RF-EMFs can reduce the risk of AD by increasing MAPK and GFAP and decreasing MBP. Considering the role of apoptosis in AD and the effect of RF-EMF on the progression of the process, this review indicates the positive effect of these exposures.
Conclusion Studies included in this review show that exposure to RF-EMFs act as a double-edged sword. While the findings of some studies indicate a reduced incidence of AD, other studies show an acceleration of the course of the disease. We believe that parameters such as the level of exposure (e.g., specific absorption rate, exposure duration, cumulative exposure, etc.) can determine if the response to RF-EMFs will prove beneficial or detrimental. A future research effort should be conducted to determine if there is an optimum range of SAR values or radio frequency ranges that affect AD either positively or negatively. Moreover, it is crucial to determine how the animal data can be translated into human effects. Therefore, further studies in this field are clearly warranted.
Open access paper: https://jbpe.sums.ac.ir/article_48598.html
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Neuroendocrine System Adaptation during Consecutive Extrinsic Stimuli: A Pilot Dynamic Study
Geronikolou SA, Vasdekis V, Mantzou A, Davos C, Cokkinos DV, Chrousos GP. Neuroendocrine System Adaptation during Consecutive Extrinsic Stimuli: A Pilot Dynamic Study. Children (Basel). 2023 Jan 30;10(2):248. doi: 10.3390/children10020248.
Abstract This pilot repeated measures study aims to evaluate the dynamics of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and/or their interplay with low-level inflammation in healthy schoolchildren during consecutive extrinsic stimuli. Twenty healthy schoolchildren and adolescents aged 11–14 years (12.5 ± 1.5) were consecutively exposed to an oral task (#2) and an arithmetic task (#3) (Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C)), lasting 5 min each, and a three-minute cellular phone call (#4). Salivary cortisol (SC) was sampled at baseline (#1) and immediately after each exposure (#2, 3, and 4). Baseline serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and cortisol levels were also assessed. ANS dynamics and complexity were measured using Sample Entropy (SampEn) at each experimental time period (#1–4). Baseline serum hCRP and cortisol correlated negatively to each other, while the ANS and HPA axis acute reactions to the three consecutive stimuli differed over time. The ANS adaptation to these stimuli included complexity modulation, which was not dependent on baseline hsCRP or cortisol, and weakened during the third stimulation. However, baseline hsCRP and cortisol had a weakening and an increasing effect on the HPA axis over time, respectively. We conclude that low-level inflammation and baseline morning cortisol level have no effect on ANS dynamics but influence the HPA axis response to consecutive external stimuli.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/2/248
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The Importance of Subcellular Structures to the Modeling of Biological Cells in the Context of Computational Bioelectromagnetics Simulations
Jerbic K, Svejda JT, Sievert B, Rennings A, Fröhlich J, Erni D. The Importance of Subcellular Structures to the Modeling of Biological Cells in the Context of Computational Bioelectromagnetics Simulations. Bioelectromagnetics. 2023;10.1002/bem.22436. doi:10.1002/bem.22436
Abstract

Numerical investigation of the interaction of electromagnetic fields with eukaryotic cells requires specifically adapted computer models. Virtual microdosimetry, used to investigate exposure, requires volumetric cell models, which are numerically challenging. For this reason, a method is presented here to determine the current and volumetric loss densities occurring in single cells and their distinct compartments in a spatially accurate manner as a first step toward multicellular models within the microstructure of tissue layers. To achieve this, 3D models of the electromagnetic exposure of generic eukaryotic cells of different shape (i.e. spherical and ellipsoidal) and internal complexity (i.e. different organelles) are performed in a virtual, finite element method-based capacitor experiment in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 GHz. In this context, the spectral response of the current and loss distribution within the cell compartments is investigated and any effects that occur are attributed either to the dispersive material properties of these compartments or to the geometric characteristics of the cell model investigated in each case. In these investigations, the cell is represented as an anisotropic body with an internal distributed membrane system of low conductivity that mimics the endoplasmic reticulum in a simplified manner. This will be used to determine which details of the cell interior need to be modeled, how the electric field and the current density will be distributed in this region, and where the electromagnetic energy is absorbed in the microstructure regarding electromagnetic microdosimetry. Results show that for 5 G frequencies, membranes make a significant contribution to the absorption losses.
Open access paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bem.22436
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Changes in cognitive function, synaptic structure and protein expression after long-term exposure to 2.856 and 9.375 GHz microwaves
Wang H, Liu Y, Sun Y, Dong J, Xu X, Wang H, Zhao X, Zhang J, Yao B, Zhao L, Liu S, Peng R. Changes in cognitive function, synaptic structure and protein expression after long-term exposure to 2.856 and 9.375 GHz microwaves. Cell Commun Signal. 2023 Feb 13;21(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s12964-022-01011-1.

Abstract

Health hazards from long-term exposure to microwaves, especially the potential for changes in cognitive function, are attracting increasing attention. The purpose of this study was to explore changes in spatial learning and memory and synaptic structure and to identify differentially expressed proteins in hippocampal and serum exosomes after long-term exposure to 2.856 and 9.375 GHz microwaves. The spatial reference learning and memory abilities and the structure of the DG area were impaired after long-term exposure to 2.856 and 9.375 GHz microwaves. We also found a decrease in SNARE-associated protein Snapin and an increase in charged multivesicular body protein 3 in the hippocampus, indicating that synaptic vesicle recycling was inhibited and consistent with the large increase in presynaptic vesicles. Moreover, we investigated changes in serum exosomes after 2.856 and 9.375 GHz microwave exposure. The results showed that long-term 2.856 GHz microwave exposure could induce a decrease in calcineurin subunit B type 1 and cytochrome b-245 heavy chain in serum exosomes. While the 9.375 GHz long-term microwave exposure induced a decrease in proteins (synaptophysin-like 1, ankyrin repeat and rabankyrin-5, protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit alpha and sodium-dependent phosphate transporter 1) in serum exosomes. In summary, long-term microwave exposure could lead to different degrees of spatial learning and memory impairment, EEG disturbance, structural damage to the hippocampus, and differential expression of hippocampal tissue and serum exosomes.

Excerpts

... There were no significant increases in rectal temperature (p = 0.1000, p = 0.128, p = 0.104) between the time points before and immediately after microwave exposure in any group, indicating that the effects of microwave radiation on the mice in this experiment were mainly nonthermal effects (Fig. 1C)....

The radiation duration in this study was based on the ICNIRP guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (2020 version), which established a standard time interval of 6 min for head health threats. Therefore, 6 min was used as a daily exposure time to explore the effects. Moreover, to determine whether the thermal effect played a role in the exposure period, a core temperature detection method was used in our study according to the previous literature [30]. The experimental results indicated that nonthermal effects were mainly involved in our study....

In summary, long-term microwave exposure (2.856 and 9.375 GHz, 6 min/d, 5 d/w, 6 w) led to different degrees of spatial learning and memory impairment, EEG disturbance, damage to hippocampal structure and differential expression of hippocampal tissue and serum exosomes. The SNARE-associated protein Snapin and charged multivesicular body protein 3 in the hippocampus could be used as sensitive markers of microwave exposure, and synaptic vesicle recycling was inhibited by long-term microwave exposure. Different proteins in serum exosomes were found after exposure to different frequency microwaves.

Open access paper: https://biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12964-022-01011-1

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Effects of Nonthermal Radiofrequency Stimulation on Neuronal Activity and Neural Circuit in Mice
Hao Y, Liu W, Liu Y, Liu Y, Xu Z, Ye Y, Zhou H, Deng H, Zuo H, Yang H, Li Y. Effects of Nonthermal Radiofrequency Stimulation on Neuronal Activity and Neural Circuit in Mice. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2023 Feb 8:e2205988. doi: 10.1002/advs.202205988.
Abstract
Whether the nonthermal effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exist and how nonthermal RFR acts on the nervous system are unknown. An animal model of spatial memory impairment is established by exposing mice to 2856-MHz RFR in the range of thermal noise (≤1 °C). Glutamate release in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) CA1 region is not significantly changed after radiofrequency exposure, whereas dopamine release is reduced. Importantly, RFR enhances glutamatergic CA1 pyramidal neuron calcium activity by nonthermal mechanisms, which recover to the basal level with RFR termination. Furthermore, suppressed dHPC dopamine release induced by radiofrequency exposure is due to decreased density of dopaminergic projections from the locus coeruleus to dHPC, and artificial activation of dopamine axon terminals or D1 receptors in dHPC CA1 improve memory damage in mice exposed to RFR. These findings indicate that nonthermal radiofrequency stimulation modulates ongoing neuronal activity and affects nervous system function at the neural circuit level.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36755196/
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Pilot Study of the Long-Term Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure on the Mouse Brain
Spandole-Dinu S, Catrina A-M, Voinea OC, Andone A, Radu S, Haidoiu C, Călborean O, Popescu DM, Suhăianu V, Baltag O, Tuță L, Roșu G. Pilot Study of the Long-Term Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure on the Mouse Brain. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(4):3025. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043025.
Abstract
The increasing radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation pollution resulting from the development and use of technologies utilizing RF has sparked debate about the possible biological effects of said radiation. Of particular concern is the potential impact on the brain, due to the close proximity of communication devices to the head. The main aim of this study was to examine the effects of long-term exposure to RF on the brains of mice in a real-life scenario simulation compared to a laboratory setting. The animals were exposed continuously for 16 weeks to RF using a household Wi-Fi router and a laboratory device with a frequency of 2.45 GHz, and were compared to a sham-exposed group. Before and after exposure, the mice underwent behavioral tests (open-field test and Y-maze); at the end of the exposure period, the brain was harvested for histopathological analysis and assessment of DNA methylation levels. Long-term exposure of mice to 2.45 GHz RF radiation increased their locomotor activity, yet did not cause significant structural or morphological changes in their brains. Global DNA methylation was lower in exposed mice compared to sham mice. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind these effects and to understand the potential effects of RF radiation on brain function.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3025
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Adverse effects of 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz radiofrequency radiation emitted from mobile phones on bone and skeletal muscle
Bektas H, Nalbant A, Akdag MB, Demir C, Kavak S, Dasdag S. Adverse effects of 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz radiofrequency radiation emitted from mobile phones on bone and skeletal muscle. Electromagn Biol Med. 2023 Feb 16:1-9. doi: 10.1080/15368378.2023.2179065
Abstract

The goal of this study was to biomechanically and morphologically research both the impact of mobile phone like radiofrequency radiations (RFR) on the tibia and the effects on skeletal muscle through oxidative stress parameters. Fifty-six rats (200-250 g) were put into groups: healthy sham (n = 7), healthy RFR (900, 1800, 2100 MHz) (n = 21), diabetic sham (n = 7) and diabetic RFR (900, 1800, 2100 MHz) (n = 21). Over a month, each group spent two hours/day in a Plexiglas carousel. The rats in the experimental group were exposed to RFR, but the sham groups were not. At the end of the experiment, the right tibia bones and skeletal muscle tissue were removed. The three-point bending test and radiological evaluations were performed on the bones, and CAT, GSH, MDA, and IMA in muscles were measured. There were differences in biomechanics properties and radiological evaluations between the groups (p < .05). In the measurements in the muscle tissues, significant differences were statistically found (p < .05). The average whole-body SAR values for GSM 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz were 0.026, 0.164, and 0.173 W/kg. RFRs emitted from mobile phone may cause adverse effects on tibia and skeletal muscle health, though further studies are needed.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36794487/
Conclusion

The results of this study show that mobile phone-derived RFRs (900, 1800 and 2100 MHz) may cause adverse effects on tibia bone and skeletal muscle health, according to bone biomechanics and morphological analysis evaluations and determined skeletal muscle oxidative stress parameters. It was observed that some of these adverse effects intensify with the increase in the frequency of the exposed RFR. In addition, these results suggest that the effects of mobile phone-derived RFRs on bone and muscle tissue should be investigated further through both molecular and histological analyses.

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Swimming exercise reduces oxidative stress and liver damage indices of male rats exposed to electromagnetic radiation
Amiri H, Shabkhiz F, Pournemati P, Saffar Kohneh Quchan AH, Zeighami Fard R. Swimming exercise reduces oxidative stress and liver damage indices of male rats exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Life Sci. 2023 Jan 30;317:121461. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121461.
Abstract

Objectives: Hepatic damage caused by oxidative stress is one of the problems associated with the emission of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). In this study, the effects of swimming exercise (SE) on oxidative stress and liver cell damage caused by EMR emission in rats were investigated.

Methods: Thirty-two rats (8 weeks old) were randomly divided into four groups, including control (C), EMR, SE, and EMR + SE. During four weeks, the animals engaged in SE (30 min/session, 5session/week) and were also exposed to EMR (4 h/day, seven days/week) emission from a Wi-Fi 2.45GHZ router. The liver and blood samples were collected at 48 h after completing four weeks of SE to assess histopathological damage, oxidative stress, and liver enzymes.

Key findings: Tissue sections showed severe liver damage in the EMR group compared to the C group, while the SE attenuated the liver damage. In the EMR group, compared to the C, SE and EMR + SE groups, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) decreased significantly, and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and liver enzymes (AST, ALT, and ALP) increased significantly (P < 0.05). Swimming exercise in the SE and EMR + SE groups compared to EMR led to a significant increase in the activity of SOD and CAT and a significant decrease in the concentration of MDA and liver enzymes (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The study findings showed that the SE is beneficial in attenuating the harmful effects of RF-EMR emitted from the Wi-Fi on the liver.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36731647/
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Exercise ameliorates hippocampal damage induced by Wi-Fi radiation; a biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical study


Mohamed AO, Hafez SMNA, Ibrahim RA, Rifaai RA. Exercise ameliorates hippocampal damage induced by Wi-Fi radiation; a biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical study. J Chem Neuroanat. 2023 Feb 14:102252. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2023.102252.

Highlights
• The use of electromagnetic devices has now increased. Additionally, using the wireless devices has an impact on human health.
• Physical activity is a good non-pharmacological strategy that protect against the adverse effects of electromagnetic waves
• This study investigates the protective effect of exercise on the hippocampal damage induced by waves of the Wi-Fi devices
• It preserves hippocampal structure, enhances neurogenesis and reduces oxidative stress induced by waves of the Wi-Fi devices.
• This provides an insight on the importance of exercise in prevention of many health problems including mental health.
Abstract
Introduction: Nowadays, using electromagnetic devices (EMD) has been increased. However, the control of EMD hazards was poorly evaluated, especially those affected the hippocampus. Regular physical exercises are safe, easily, inexpensive and acceptable for long-term use. It is reported that exercise protects against many health problems.

Aim: is to investigate the hypothesis of the possible prophylactic effect of exercise on the hippocampal damage induced by electromagnetic waves of Wi-Fi.

Material and methods: Adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: group I (control), group II (exercise), group III (Wi-Fi), and group IV (exercise -Wi-Fi). Hippocampi were subjected to biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical techniques.

Results: In group III, a significant increase in the oxidative enzymes as well as decrease in antioxidant enzymes were detected in rat hippocampus. Additionally, the hippocampus showed degenerated pyramidal and granular neurons. An evident decrease in both PCNA and ZO-1 immunoreactivity was also noticed. In group IV, physical exercise alleviates the effect of Wi-Fi on previously mentioned parameters.

Conclusion: Regular physical exercise performance significantly minimizes the hippocampal damage and protects against the hazarders of chronic Wi-Fi radiation exposure.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36796735/
Excerpts

Wi-Fi device (802–16e 2005- WiMAX- Indoor CPE -antenna, model number: WIXFMM-130, China) with a frequency of 2.45 -GHz. Duration of radiation was 2 h per day in a 30-cm distance from antenna to the cages (Mahmoudi et al., 2018).

Animals of the exposed groups were exposed to Wi-Fi radiation from the 2nd week of the experiment for 2 h per day per week for 6 weeks, while the control and exercised groups were isolated in a separate room away from any source of radiation....

Regular exercise has three potential pathways that can help to reduce the risk associated with Wi-Fi radiation exposure. It could lower ROS levels and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. It also could enhance neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus which could compensate the degenerated cells resulting from EMR exposure. More-over it plays an important role in neuronal communication and survival.

Taken together, it could be concluded that physical exercise attenuates the effect of EMF exposure on the hippocampus through different mechanisms. It reduces oxidative stress, preserves neuronal structure, maintains BBB and synaptic integrity and enhances neurogenesis.

Further investigations on the prophylactic effect of exercise against EMR on different organs and at different time point using different spectrum is recommended. Also, further research about using antioxidant agents with exercise to augment the protective effect against hazards of Wi-Fi radiation is also recommended.

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Effects of 2.45 GHz Non-Ionizing Radiation on Anxiety-Like Behavior, Gene Expression, and Corticosterone Level in Male Rats: Long-term Radiation Exposure Modifies Memory and Anxiety Behavior
Tarsaei M, Peyrovan ZS, Mahdavi SM, Modarresi Chahardehi A, Vafaie R, Haidari MH. (2022). Effects of 2.45 GHz Non-Ionizing Radiation on Anxiety-Like Behavior, Gene Expression, and Corticosterone Level in Male Rats: Long-term Radiation Exposure Modifies Memory and Anxiety Behavior in Rats. Journal of Lasers in Medical Sciences, 13, e56.

Abstract
The effects of short-term and long-term exposures to 2.45 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on anxiety-like behavior, corticosterone level, and gene expression were investigated. The animals have been classified into eight groups, sham groups and, exposed groups for short-term and long-term exposure to the same dose of RF-EMR for one hour daily. The Wi-Fi equipment in the sham control group was not turned on during the experiment. The goal of this study was to explore the effect of electromagnetic fields of 2.45 GHz on clinical signs such as bodyweight and anxiety-like behavior, including the elevated plus maze test and open-field test, and also on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Bax (Bcl2-associated x) and Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) genes on the cognitive memory functions in an animal model of rats. Both genes were further confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The semi-quantitative PCR method of electromagnetic fields in the 2.45 GHz range impacted the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes in the rat's memory. The present study exhibited that short-term radiation could decrease the percentage of entry into the open arm and the percentage of time spent, while there were no substantial impacts on the long-term radiation effect. Our data support the hypothesis that short-term exposure worked as a systemic stressor, raising plasma corticosterone and changing glucocorticoid receptor expression in the hippocampus. Additional research on this specific frequency and amount of radiation is required to discover strategies for protecting the nervous system from the detrimental effects of RF-EMR radiation.

Open access paper: https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/jlms/article/view/39761

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Evaluation of cognitive functions and EEG records in rats exposed to 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field
Yucel H, Dundar NO, Doguc DK, Uguz C, Celik O, Aksoy FT, Nazıroglu M, Comlekci S, Dundar B. Evaluation of cognitive functions and EEG records in rats exposed to 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field. Int J Radiat Res 2022, 20(4): 753-760.
Abstract

Background: Electromagnetic fields may primarily affect cognitive functions. It has not been elucidated how electromagnetic radiation affects the brain, particularly in the young age group. We aimed to examine the cognitive function, expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA), and EEG alterations in weaned rats exposed to a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-one weaned (21 days old) male Wistar Albino rats were divided into two groups as experimental group (n=12) and control group (n=9). Animals in the experimental group were exposed to a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field for one hour a day for more than 28 days. At the end of this period, rats were subjected to training and learning test using Morris Water Maze. After obtaining EEG records, hippocampi were removed. 2A and 2B subunits of NMDA receptors were studied in hippocampal homogenates using the Western Blot method.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in measures of latency to target quadrant, time spent in the target quadrant, and average swim speed as compared in Morris water maze. However, the time to arrive at the visible platform was significantly longer in experimental animals. There were no statistically significant differences in expression of 2A and 2B subunits of NMDA receptors between the two groups. Evaluation of EEG records revealed that spike frequency was significantly higher and time to first spike was significantly shorter in the experimental group.

Conclusion: These results indicated that a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field might negatively affect EEG, motivation, and attention, particularly in the young age group.

Open access paper: https://ijrr.com/article-1-4460-en.pdf
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Evaluating the Effect of Jammer Radiation on Learning and Memory in Male Rats
Yazdanpanahi M, Namazi A, Shojaeifard MB, Nematolahi S, Pourahmad S. Evaluating the Effect of Jammer Radiation on Learning and Memory in Male Rats. J Biomed Phys Eng. 2023 Feb 1;13(1):29-38. doi: 10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2001-1049.
Abstract
Background: Previous studies shown that mobile phone can impairment of working memory in humans.

Objective: In this study, the effect of radiofrequency radiation emitted from common mobile jammers have been studied on the learning and memory of rats.

Material and methods: In this prospective study, 90 Sprague-Dawley rats, were divided into 9 groups (N=10): Control, Sham1st (exposed to a switched-off mobile jammer device at a distance of 50 or 100 cm/1 day, 2 hours), Sham2nd (similar to Sham1st, but for 14 days, 2 h/day), Experimental1st -50 cm/1 day &100 cm/1 day (exposed to a switched-on device at a distance of 50 or 100 cm for 2 hours), Experimental2nd (similar to experimental1st, but for 14 days, 2 h/day). The animals were tested for learning and memory the next day, by the shuttle box. The time that a rat took to enter the dark part was considered as memory.

Results: Mean short-term memory was shorter in the experimental- 50 cm/1 day than control and sham- 50 cm/1 day (P=0.034), long-term memory was similar. Mean short- and long-term memory were similar in the experimental- 100 cm/1 day, control and sham- 100 cm/1 day (P>0.05). Mean short-term memory was similar in experimental- 50 cm/14 days, control, and sham- 50 cm/14 days (P=0.087), but long-term learning memory was shorter in the radiated group (P=0.038). Mean short- and long-term were similar among experimental-100 cm/14 days, control or sham 100 cm/14 days (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Rats exposed to jammer device showed dysfunction in short- and long-term memory, which shown the unfavorable effect of jammer on memory and learning. Our results indicated that the distance from radiation source was more important than the duration.
Excerpt: The mobile jammer used in this study was an MB06-Mobile blocker, designed for 4-four different frequencies, including code division multiple access, digital cellular service, global system for mobile (GSM) communication, and third-generation which blocks the following frequencies: 850, 900, and 1800 MHz. The shielding radius was indicated to be 0-40 m on the jammer device.
Open access paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9923240/
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Microwaves can kill malaria parasites non-thermally
Coronado LM, Stoute JA, Nadovich CT, Cheng J, Correa R, Chaw K, González G, Zambrano M, Gittens RA, Agrawal DK, Jemison WD, Donado Morcillo CA, Spadafora C. Microwaves can kill malaria parasites non-thermally. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Feb 2;13:955134. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.955134.
Abstract
Malaria, which infected more than 240 million people and killed around six hundred thousand only in 2021, has reclaimed territory after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Together with parasite resistance and a not-yet-optimal vaccine, the need for new approaches has become critical. While earlier, limited, studies have suggested that malaria parasites are affected by electromagnetic energy, the outcomes of this affectation vary and there has not been a study that looks into the mechanism of action behind these responses. In this study, through development and implementation of custom applicators for in vitro experimentation, conditions were generated in which microwave energy (MW) killed more than 90% of the parasites, not by a thermal effect but via a MW energy-induced programmed cell death that does not seem to affect mammalian cell lines. Transmission electron microscopy points to the involvement of the haemozoin-containing food vacuole, which becomes destroyed; while several other experimental approaches demonstrate the involvement of calcium signaling pathways in the resulting effects of exposure to MW. Furthermore, parasites were protected from the effects of MW by calcium channel blockers calmodulin and phosphoinositol. The findings presented here offer a molecular insight into the elusive interactions of oscillating electromagnetic fields with P. falciparum, prove that they are not related to temperature, and present an alternative technology to combat this devastating disease.

Open access paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.955134/full
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Impacts of Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)—Evidence for RF-EMF Interference with Plant Stress Responses
Tran NT, Jokic L, Keller J, Geier JU, Kaldenhoff R. Impacts of Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)—Evidence for RF-EMF Interference with Plant Stress Responses. Plants. 2023; 12(5):1082. doi: 10.3390/plants12051082.

Abstract
The increased use of wireless technology causes a significant exposure increase for all living organisms to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). This comprises bacteria, animals, and also plants. Unfortunately, our understanding of how RF-EMF influences plants and plant physiology remains inadequate. In this study, we examined the effects of RF-EMF radiation on lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa) in both indoor and outdoor environments using the frequency ranges of 1890–1900 MHz (DECT) at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (Wi-Fi). Under greenhouse conditions, RF-EMF exposure had only a minor impact on fast chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics and no effect on plant flowering time. In contrast, lettuce plants exposed to RF-EMF in the field showed a significant and systemic decrease in photosynthetic efficiency and accelerated flowering time compared to the control groups. Gene expression analysis revealed significant down-regulation of two stress-related genes in RF-EMF-exposed plants: violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) and zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP). RF-EMF-exposed plants had lower Photosystem II's maximal photochemical quantum yield (FV/FM) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) than control plants under light stress conditions. In summary, our results imply that RF-EMF might interfere with plant stress responses and reduced plant stress tolerance.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1082
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Effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields on human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells: proteomic characterization
Lazzarini R, Eléxpuru-Zabaleta M, Piva F, Giulietti M, Fulgenzi G, Tartaglione MF, Zingaretti L, Tagliabracci A, Valentino M, Santarelli L, Bracci M. Effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields on human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells: proteomic characterization. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2023 Feb 16;253:114650. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114650.
Abstract

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-MF) can modify the cell viability and regulatory processes of some cell types, including breast cancer cells. Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease where a role for ELF-MF cannot be excluded. ELF-MF may influence the biological properties of breast cells through molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that are still unclear. This study analyzed the changes in the cell viability, cellular morphology, oxidative stress response and alteration of proteomic profile in breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) exposed to ELF-MF (50 Hz, 1 mT for 4 h). Non-tumorigenic human breast cells (MCF-10A) were used as control cells. Exposed MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells increased their viability and live cell number and showed a higher density and length of filopodia compared with the unexposed cells. In addition, ELF-MF induced an increase of the mitochondrial ROS levels and an alteration of mitochondrial morphology. Proteomic data analysis showed that ELF-MF altered the expression of 328 proteins in MDA-MB-231 cells and of 242 proteins in MCF-10A cells. Gene Ontology term enrichment analysis demonstrated that in both cell lines ELF-MF exposure up-regulated the genes enriched in "focal adhesion" and "mitochondrion". The ELF-MF exposure decreased the adhesive properties of MDA-MB-231 cells and increased the migration and invasion cell abilities. At the same time, proteomic analysis, confirmed by Real Time PCR, revealed that transcription factors associated with cellular reprogramming were upregulated in MDA-MB-231 cells and downregulated in MCF-10A cells after ELF-MF exposure. MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells exposed to 1 mT 50 Hz ELF-MF showed modifications in proteomic profile together with changes in cell viability, cellular morphology, oxidative stress response, adhesion, migration and invasion cell abilities. The main signaling pathways involved were relative to focal adhesion, mitochondrion and cellular reprogramming.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36805133
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Effect of 50-Hz magnetic fields on the expression of activation-induced deaminase, B-cell lymphoma 6 and serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-21

Gholamian-Hamadan M, Behzad M, Molaei S, Zaerieghane Z, Talebi-Ghane E, Zamani A. Effect of 50-Hz magnetic fields on the expression of activation-induced deaminase, B-cell lymphoma 6 and serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-21. Int J Radiat Biol. 2023 Feb 6:1-18. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2023.2177767.

Abstract

Background: Investigations showed different effects of magnetic fields (MFs) on the immune system. During humoral immune responses, genes of activation-induced deaminase (AID) and B-cell lymphoma-6 (Bcl-6) are expressed and interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-21 are produced. These factors play significant roles in class switching, affinity maturation of antibodies and activations of B cells germinal centers (GCs). Therefore, this study investigated the effect of 50-Hz MFs exposure with different densities on these factors.

Materials and Methods: Eighty rats were divided into four exposures and a control groups. The treatment groups were exposed to magnetic flux densities of 1, 100, 500, and 2000 µT (50 Hz, 2h/day for 60 days). To activation of the immune system, all the animals were immunized with human serum albumin on days 31, 44, and 58 of exposure. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to assay the expression levels of AID and Bcl-6 genes in the spleen. The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-21 were also detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the pre- and post-immunization phases.

Results: AID expression was significantly declined at 1µT magnetic flux density, while no change was observed in the expression of Bcl-6. Serum IL-6 was increased only in 500 µT group at the post-immunization phase.

Conclusion: It seems exposure to 50-Hz MFs at 1µT density, suppresses AID and may cause decline in class switching and affinity maturation of Abs. On the other hand, exposure to 500µT, may activate them. These findings demonstrate the various potential effects of MFs on the humoral immune system.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36745859/
Conclusion

It appears two months exposure to 50-Hz MFs causes to change some aspect of humoral immunity, both in low and high flux densities. Reduction in AID expression at lower density may hypothesize a suppression role in humoral immunity, especially class switching and affinity maturation of Abs. In contrast, higher density could increase serum IL-6 and activate the differentiation of B cells to plasma cells and may enhances humoral responses. This finding indicated the complexities of these reactions which highlight the need for further studies.
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Assessing electric field strength inside a anatomical hand model caused by a magnetic deactivator device for Electronic Article Surveillance System labels

Schneeweiss P, Hirtl R, Schmid G. Assessing non-sinusoidal in situ electric field strength inside a detailed anatomical hand model caused by a magnetic deactivator device for EAS labels. J Radiol Prot. 2023 Feb 6. doi: 10.1088/1361-6498/acb955.
Abstract

To evaluate the localized magnetic field (MF) exposure of the cashier's hand due to a particular de-magnetization device (deactivator) for single-use labels of an acousto-magnetic (AM) electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, comprehensive measurements of MF near the surface of the deactivator and numerical computations of the induced electric field strength Ei were performed in high-resolution anatomical hand models of different postures and positions with respect to the deactivator. The measurement results for magnetic induction B were assessed with respect to the action levels (AL) for limb exposure, and the computational results for Ei were evaluated with respect to the exposure limit values (ELV) for health effects according to EU directive 2013/35/EU. For the ELV-based assessment, the maximum of the 2 x 2 x 2 mm3averaged Ei (maxEi,avg) and the respective 99.9th, 99.5th, and 99.0th percentiles were used. As the MF impulse emitted by the deactivator for de-magnetization of the AM-EAS labels was highly non-sinusoidal, measurement results were assessed based on the weighted peak method in time domain (WPM-TD). A newly developed scaling technique was proposed to apply the WPM-TD also for the assessment of the (non-sinusoidal) Ei regarding the ELV. It was used to calculate the resulting WPM-TD based exposure index (EI) from frequency domain computations. The assessment regarding the AL for limbs yielded peak values of magnetic induction of up to 97 mT (measured with a 3 cm2MF probe on top of the deactivator surface) corresponding to an EI of 443 %. However, this was considered an overestimation of the actual exposure in terms of Eias the AL were defined conservatively by intention. A WPM-TD based assessment of Eifinally led to worst case EI up to 135 %, 93 %, 78 %, and 72 % when using the maxEi,avg, 99.9th, 99.5th, and 99.0thpercentiles, respectively.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36745918/

... it can be hypothesized that the ICNIRP 2010 reference levels may not be conservative in the sense that even when meeting the reference levels, compliance with the basic restrictions is not guaranteed, although an additional reduction factor of 3 was introduced when deriving the reference levels from the basic restrictions, with the intention to account for numerical uncertainties. In particular, this has significant implications for workplace safety, as according to the definition in 2013/35/EU, a workplace can be assumed compliant if the AL are met without any further investigation with respect to the ELV. All in all, the investigated device must be considered at least borderline to non-compliance and precautionary measures are recommended, e.g., ensuring a distance of 50 mm to the deactivator surface to ensure compliance. All in all, the investigated device must be considered at least borderline to non-compliance and precautionary measures are recommended, e.g., ensuring a distance of 50 mm to the deactivator surface to ensure compliance.

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Aligning Exposure Limits for Contact Currents with Exposure Limits for Electric Fields
Kavet R, Tell RA. Aligning Exposure Limits for Contact Currents with Exposure Limits for Electric Fields. Health Phys. 2023 Feb 3. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001659.
Abstract

The Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have established limits for exposures to electromagnetic fields across the 0-300 GHz (non-ionizing) spectrum, including limits on contact currents (CC) specified by IEEE for 0-110 MHz (ICNIRP issued a CC "guidance level"). Both sets of limits seek to protect against potentially adverse effects, including aversive electrostimulation at frequencies <100 kHz and excessive heating of tissue at frequencies >100 kHz. For the most part, CC is linked to electric field (E-field) exposures for an ungrounded person contacting a grounded object, with the short-circuit current (ISC) through the contact point (usually the hand) equivalent to the current through the grounded feet of a free-standing person exposed to a vertically polarized E-field. The physical linkage between these two quantities dictates that their respective exposure limits align with one another, which is presently not the case, especially with respect to frequencies from100 kHz to 110 MHz. Here we focus specifically on recommendations for revisions to the IEEE standard, IEEE Std C95.1™-2019 ("IEEE C95.1"), in which the E-field exposure limit (E-field exposure reference levels, ERLs) >100 kHz induces substantially greater currents than the CC ERLs currently prescribed. The most important scenario deserving of attention concerns finger contact through a 1-cm2 cross-sectional interface between the skin and a grounded conductor in which the rate of temperature rise in the presence of an E-field ERL can be rapid enough to cause a burn injury. This rate is highly dependent on the moistness/dryness of the skin at the contact point (i.e., its impedance)-a highly variable value-with temperature increasing more rapidly with increasing dryness (greater contact impedance). The two main remedies to alleviate the possibility of injury in this "touch" scenario are to (a) limit the time of finger contact to 1 s in all cases and (b) revise the E-field ERL between 100 kHz and 30 MHz from a "hockey-stick-shaped" curve vs. frequency to a "ramp" across this frequency range. These measures factored in with the real-world prevalence of potentially hazardous scenarios should afford greater protection against adverse outcomes than is presently the case. IEEE C95.1 also specifies limits for grasp contact (15 cm2 in the palm) and associated wrist heating, plus heating in the ankles from free-standing induction. However, these scenarios are more manageable compared to finger touch due mainly to the comparatively lower rates of tissue heating attributable to the wrist's and ankle's relatively greater cross-sectional area. Recommendations for grasp can thus be dealt with separately. Two identified but unaddressed issues in IEEE C95.1 deserving of further attention are first, the circumstance in which a grounded person contacts an ungrounded object situated in an electric field for which there are countless numbers of scenarios that are not amenable to a single ERL. Second, arcing between an extended limb and E-field-exposed object is perhaps the most hazardous of all scenarios. Both of these scenarios cannot be stereotyped and must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Future revisions of IEEE Std C95.1-2019 (and the ICNIRP guidelines) will benefit from improved insight into strategies of affording protection from potentially adverse effects in these circumstances.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36735538/
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High-Fidelity 3D Stray Magnetic Field Mapping of Smartphones to Address Safety Considerations with Active Implantable Electronic Medical Devices
Saha N, Millward JM, Herrmann CJJ, Rahimi F, Han H, Lacour P, Blaschke F, Niendorf T. High-Fidelity 3D Stray Magnetic Field Mapping of Smartphones to Address Safety Considerations with Active Implantable Electronic Medical Devices. Sensors (Basel). 2023 Jan 20;23(3):1209. doi: 10.3390/s23031209.
Abstract
Case reports indicate that magnets in smartphones could be a source of electromagnetic interference (EMI) for active implantable medical devices (AIMD), which could lead to device malfunction, compromising patient safety. Recognizing this challenge, we implemented a high-fidelity 3D magnetic field mapping (spatial resolution 1 mm) setup using a three-axis Hall probe and teslameter, controlled by a robot (COSI Measure). With this setup, we examined the stray magnetic field of an iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 12, and MagSafe charger to identify sources of magnetic fields for the accurate risk assessment of potential interferences with AIMDs. Our measurements revealed that the stray fields of the annular array of magnets, the wide-angle camera, and the speaker of the smartphones exceeded the 1 mT limit defined by ISO 14117:2019. Our data-driven safety recommendation is that an iPhone 13 Pro should be kept at least 25 mm away from an AIMD to protect it from unwanted EMI interactions. Our study addresses safety concerns due to potential device-device interactions between smartphones and AIMDs and will help to define data-driven safety guidelines. We encourage vendors of electronic consumer products (ECP) to provide information on the magnetic fields of their products and advocate for the inclusion of smartphones in the risk assessment of EMI with AIMDs.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/3/1209
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Evaluating 60 GHz FWA Deployments for Urban and Rural Environments in Belgium
Castellanos G, De Beelde B, Plets D, Martens L, Joseph W, Deruyck M. Evaluating 60 GHz FWA Deployments for Urban and Rural Environments in Belgium. Sensors (Basel). 2023 Jan 17;23(3):1056. doi: 10.3390/s23031056.
Abstract
Fixed wireless access (FWA) provides a solution to compete with fiber deployment while offering reduced costs by using the mmWave bands, including the unlicensed 60 GHz one. This paper evaluates the deployment of FWA networks in the 60 GHz band in realistic urban and rural environment in Belgium. We developed a network planning tool that includes novel backhaul based on the IEEE 802.11ay standard with multi-objective capabilities to maximise the user coverage, providing at least 1 Gbps of bit rate while minimising the required network infrastructure. We evaluate diverse serving node locations, called edge nodes (EN), and the impact of environmental factors such as rain and vegetation on the network design. Extensive simulation results show that defining a proper EN's location is essential to achieve viable user coverage higher than 95%, particularly in urban scenarios where street canyons affect propagation. Rural scenarios require nearly 75 ENs per km2 while urban scenarios require four times (300 ENs per km2) this infrastructure. Finally, vegetation can reduce the coverage by 3% or increment infrastructure up to 7%, while heavy rain can reduce coverage by 5% or increment infrastructure by 15%, depending on the node deployment strategy implemented.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/3/1056
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Essential elements of radical pair magnetosensitivity in Drosophila
Bradlaugh AA, Fedele G, Munro AL, Hansen CN, Hares JM, Patel S, Kyriacou CP, Jones AR, Rosato E, Baines RA. Essential elements of radical pair magnetosensitivity in Drosophila. Nature. 2023 Feb 22. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-05735-z.
Abstract

Many animals use Earth's magnetic field (also known as the geomagnetic field) for navigation1. The favoured mechanism for magnetosensitivity involves a blue-light-activated electron-transfer reaction between flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and a chain of tryptophan residues within the photoreceptor protein CRYPTOCHROME (CRY). The spin-state of the resultant radical pair, and therefore the concentration of CRY in its active state, is influenced by the geomagnetic field2. However, the canonical CRY-centric radical-pair mechanism does not explain many physiological and behavioural observations2-8. Here, using electrophysiology and behavioural analyses, we assay magnetic-field responses at the single-neuron and organismal levels. We show that the 52 C-terminal amino acid residues of Drosophila melanogaster CRY, lacking the canonical FAD-binding domain and tryptophan chain, are sufficient to facilitate magnetoreception. We also show that increasing intracellular FAD potentiates both blue-light-induced and magnetic-field-dependent effects on the activity mediated by the C terminus. High levels of FAD alone are sufficient to cause blue-light neuronal sensitivity and, notably, the potentiation of this response in the co-presence of a magnetic field. These results reveal the essential components of a primary magnetoreceptor in flies, providing strong evidence that non-canonical (that is, non-CRY-dependent) radical pairs can elicit magnetic-field responses in cells.

Open access paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05735-z
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Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) induces alterations in epigenetic regulation in the myometrium - An in vitro study
Franczak A, Drzewiecka EM, Kozlowska W, Zmijewska A, Wydorski PJ. Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) induces alterations in epigenetic regulation in the myometrium - An in vitro study. Theriogenology. 2023 Feb 7;200:136-146. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.02.005.
Abstract
Previous research by the authors indicated that an extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) evokes molecular alterations in the porcine myometrium. It was hypothesized that the ELF-EMF could induce alterations in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the myometrium. In the current study, slices of the porcine myometrium during the peri-implantation period (n = 4) were used for further in vitro exposition to ELF-EMF (50 Hz, 8 mT, 2 h treatment duration). The study tested whether the ELF-EMF may affect: 1/the expression of DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a), 2/the level of genomic DNA methylation, and 3/the level of amplification of methylated and unmethylated variants of promoter regions of selected genes with altered expression in response to ELF-EMF. It was found that ELF-EMF treatment increased DNMT1, decreased DNMT3a mRNA transcript and protein abundance, and increased the level of genomic DNA methylation. The direction of alterations in the level of amplification of methylated and unmethylated variants of the promoter region of selected genes with altered expression, i.e. prodynorphin (PDYN), interleukin 15 (IL15) signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and between down-regulated genes were early growth response 2 (EGR2), hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 (HAPLN1), and uteroferrin associated basic protein-2 (UABP2), mostly involving the direction of changes in their transcriptional activity, which was evaluated in a previous study by the authors. Thus, ELF-EMF radiation disturbs epigenetic mechanisms, which may underlay ELF-EMF-related transcriptomic alterations in the myometrium.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36806924/
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Comparison of electromagnetic exposure for passengers at different positions on the subway platform
Li J, Lu M. Comparison of electromagnetic exposure for passengers at different positions on the subway platform. EMIE 2022; The 2nd International Conference on Electronic Materials and Information Engineering, Hangzhou, China, 2022, pp. 1-6.
Abstract
To evaluate the safety of electromagnetic exposure for passengers at different positions on the subway platform, the High Frequency Structure Simulator software is used to establish the exposure source, i.e., the leakage coaxial cable model and the adult and child passenger models. Three waiting positions (A, B and C) with an interval of 1.5 m are selected on the subway platform. The distribution of the specific absorption rate of the adult and child passengers at different waiting positions was calculated at 900 MHz. Results show that among the three locations, the maximum SAR values in the adult and child bodies appear at position A nearest to the exposure source, which are 1.5859×10(exp -7) and 1.0854×10(exp -7) W/kg, respectively. According to the comparison of the SAR distribution between the adult and the child at positions A and C, the SAR values in the child's brain tissue are 4.98 and 2.80 times higher than those of the adult, respectively. The simulation results are well below the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection limits for the general public, indicating that the adult and child passengers do not suffer health risks under the electromagnetic exposure emitted by the leaky coaxial cable on the subway platform.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10048274
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
4.3.2023 00:26

Key Cell Phone Radiation Research Studies


Note: This is not a comprehensive list. I have focused on more recent papers and tried to be parsimonious. The links to all abstracts and open access papers below were checked and updated on June 7, 2019. I update this list periodically.


National Toxicology Program cell phone radiation studies
Tumor risk review papers
Myung et al (2009) Mobile phone use and risk of tumors: a meta-analysis. J Clinical Oncology. https://bit.ly/2F0IdUS Khurana et al (2009) Cell phones and brain tumors: a review including long-term epidemiologic data. Surgical Neurology. https://bit.ly/2WTQwfk Levis et al (2011) Mobile phones and head tumours: the discrepancies in cause-effect relationships in the epi studies-how do they arise. Environ Health. https://bit.ly/2IsQy4r Levis et al (2012) Mobile phones and head tumours: a critical analysis of case-control epi studies. Open Environ Sciences. https://bit.ly/2EXT5ml WHO (2013) IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. Volume 102: Non-ionizing radiation, Part 2: Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. https://bit.ly/10oIE3o Morgan et al (2015) Mobile phone radiation causes brain tumors and should be classified as a probable human carcinogen (2A) (Review). Int J Oncology. https://bit.ly/2XwgVNa
Wang & Guo (2016) Meta-analysis of association between mobile phone use and glioma risk. J Cancer Research Therapy https://bit.ly/2o1dVcn
Bortkiewicz et al (2017) Mobile phone use and risk of intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - A meta-analysis. Int J Occ Med Envir Health. https://bit.ly/2nVJC5d
Prasad et al (2017) Mobile phone use and risk of brain tumours: a systematic review of association between study quality, source of funding, and research outcomes. Neurol Sci. https://bit.ly/2Xxp83P
Carlberg, Hardell (2017) Evaluation of mobile phone and cordless phone use and glioma risk using the Bradford Hill viewpoints from 1965 on association or causation. Biomed Res Int. https://bit.ly/2WwBX1K

Miller, et al (2018). Cancer epidemiology update, following the 2011 IARC evaluation of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (Monograph 102). Environ Res. https://bit.ly/2rJD7Fu
Choi, Moskowitz, et al (2020). Cellular phone use and risk of tumors: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218079.
Also see Long-Term Cell Phone Use Increases Brain Tumor Risk
Tumor risk studies
Interphone Study Group (2010) Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile phone use: results of the Interphone international case-control study. Int J Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2MzsceR Interphone Study Group (2011) Acoustic neuroma risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case-control study. Cancer Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2Ix7BlQ Aydin et al (2011) Mobile phone use & brain tumors in children & adolescents: a multi-center case-control study. (CEFALO Study). JNCI. https://bit.ly/31j0JBa Hardell et al (2013) Case-control study of the association between malignant brain tumours diagnosed between 2007 and 2009 and mobile and cordless phone use. Int J Oncology. https://bit.ly/2ZaVJg5 Hardell et al (2013) Pooled analysis of case-control studies on acoustic neuroma diagnosed 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 and use of mobile and cordless phones. Int J Oncology. https://bit.ly/31gbDaO Coureau et al (2014) Mobile phone use and brain tumours in the CERENAT case-control study. https://bit.ly/1DWgzRi
Grell et al (2016) The intracranial distribution of gliomas in relation to exposure from mobile phones: Analyses from the INTERPHONE Study. Am J Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2ZcawHu

Also see: Acoustic neuroma risk and cell phone use studies and
Should Cellphones Have Warning Labels?

Breast cancer
West et al (2013) Multifocal breast cancer in young women with prolonged contact between their breasts and their cellular phones. Case Rep Med. https://bit.ly/2WW8n52 Shih et al (2020) The association between smartphone use and breast cancer risk among Taiwanese women: A case-control study. Cancer Manag Res. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7605549/

Brain tumor incidence trends
Inskip et al (2010) Brain cancer incidence trends in relation to cellular telephone use in the United States. Neuro Oncology. https://bit.ly/2K6rEuz Zada et al (2012) Incidence trends in the anatomic location of primary malignant brain tumors in the United States: 1992-2006. World Neurosurg. https://bit.ly/2Wq1Dbm Hardell & Carlberg (2015) Increasing rates of brain tumours in the Swedish National Inpatient Register & the Causes of Death Register. Int J Environ Res Public Health. https://bit.ly/1aDHJm Devocht (2016) Inferring the 1985–2014 impact of mobile phone use on selected brain cancer subtypes using Bayesian structural time series and synthetic controls. Environ Int. https://bit.ly/2jJlbZu corrigendum (2017): https://bit.ly/2Cuq2nU
Hardell & Carlberg (2017) Mobile phones, cordless phones and rates of brain tumors in different age groups in the Swedish National Inpatient Register and the Swedish Cancer Register during 1998-2015. PLOS One. https://bit.ly/H-C2017
Philips et al (2018) Brain tumours: Rise in Glioblastoma Multiforme incidence in England 1995-2015 suggests an adverse environmental or lifestyle factor. J Environ Public Health https://bit.ly/2KIY4aI

Also see: Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US: The Role of Cell Phone & Cordless Phone Use


Mechanisms
Ruediger (2009) Genotoxic effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Pathophysiology. https://bit.ly/2EXGaRb Behari (2010) Biological responses of mobile phone frequency exposure. Indian J Exp Biology. https://bit.ly/2Xx0Gzr
Giuliani and Soffritti (2010). Nonthermal effects and mechanisms of interaction between electromagnetic fields and living matter. ICEMS Monograph. Ramazzini Institute. 403 pp. https://bit.ly/2HUnO7R
Juutilainen et al (2011) Review of possible modulation-dependent biological effects of radiofrequency fields. Bioelectromagnetics. https://bit.ly/2MAQ7KJ Volkow et al (2011) Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism. JAMA. https://bit.ly/2KyjIBT Pall (2013) EMFs act via activation of voltage-gated calcium channels to produce beneficial or adverse effects. J Cell Mol Med. https://bit.ly/2K5yO2e Calderon et al (2014) Assessment of extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure from GSM mobile phones. https://bit.ly/2EA1N7e Dasdag & Akdag (2015) The link between radiofrequencies emitted from wireless technologies & oxidative stress. J Chem Neuroanat. https://bit.ly/2EXN88W Yakymenko et al (2016) Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation. Electromagnet Biol Med. https://bit.ly/2qCGM4F Barnes & Greenenbaum (2016) Some effects of weak magnetic fields on biological systems: RF fields can change radical concentrations and cancer cell growth rates. IEEE Power Electronics J. https://bit.ly/1WvQGiY Tamrin et al (2016) Electromagnetic fields and stem cell fate: When physics meets biology. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol. https://bit.ly/2b6Ht3y Terzi et al (2016) The role of electromagnetic fields in neurological disorders. J Chem Neuroanat. https://bit.ly/3j9if6b Havas (2017) When theory and observation collide: Can non-ionizing radiation cause cancer? Environ Pollution. https://bit.ly/2DssMS2 Barnes & Kandala (2018) Effects of time delays on biological feedback systems and electromagnetic field exposures. Bioelectromagnetics. https://bit.ly/2EZkZPS Belpomme et al (2018) Thermal and non-thermal health effects of low intensity non-ionizing radiation: An international perspective. Environ Pollution. https://bit.ly/IntlEMFreview Hinrikus et al (2018) Understanding physical mechanism of low-level microwave radiation effect. Int J Radiation Biol. https://bit.ly/2EwNyoU Mortazavi et al (2019) Evaluation of the validity of a nonlinear J-shaped dose-response relationship in cancers induced by exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. J Biomed Phys Eng. https://bit.ly/37FlDxP Nielsen et al (2019) Towards predicting intracellular radiofrequency radiation effects. PLOS One. https://bit.ly/2uaeFxY Panagopoulos (2019) Comparing DNA damage induced by mobile telephony and other types of man-made electromagnetic fields. Mutation Res. https://bit.ly/2HACI1O
Halgamuge et al (2020) A meta-analysis of in vitro exposures to weak radiofrequency radiation exposure from mobile phones (1990–2015). Environmental Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109227.
Bertagna et al (2021) Effects of electromagnetic fields on neuronal ion channels: a systematic review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. https://bit.ly/2R3TigS Panagopoulos et al (2021) Human‑made electromagnetic fields: Ion forced‑oscillation and voltage‑gated ion channel dysfunction, oxidative stress and DNA damage (Review). Int J Oncol. https://www.spandidos-publications.com/ijo/59/5/92
Reproductive Health Effects
LaVignera et al (2011) Effects of the exposure to mobile phones on male reproduction: a review of the literature. J Andrology. https://bit.ly/2wL7zRO Aldad et al (2012) Fetal radiofrequency radiation exposure from 800-1900 Mhz-rated cellular telephones affects neurodevelopment and behavior in mice. Science Reports. https://bit.ly/2Z6H45I Divan et al (2012) Cell phone use and behavioural problems in young children. J Epidemiol Commun Health. https://bit.ly/2EV1bw8 Adams et al (2014) Effect of mobile telephones on sperm quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproduction. https://bit.ly/1pUnmDq Houston et al (2016) The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on sperm function. Reproduction. https://bit.ly/2cJJ2pE
Also see: Effect of Mobile Phones on Sperm Quality and Pregnancy & Wireless Radiation Risks
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity

See: Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity

Exposure

Kelsh et al (2010) Measured radiofrequency exposure during various mobile-phone use scenarios. J Exposure Sci Environ Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2IuYH8s Gandhi et al (2012) Exposure limits: the underestimation of absorbed cell phone radiation, especially in children. Electromagnetic Biol Med. https://bit.ly/2EZilbN Schmid & Kuster (2015) The discrepancy between maximum in vitro exposure levels and realistic conservative exposure levels of mobile phones operating at 900/1800 MHz. Bioelectromagnetics. https://bit.ly/31j46be Sagar et al (2018) Comparison of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure levels in different everyday microenvironments in an international context. Environ Int. https://bit.ly/2E5QR10 Gandhi OP (2019) Microwave emissions from cell phones exceed safety limits in Europe and the US when touching the body. IEEE Access. https://bit.ly/2QUTI4N Wall et al (2019) Real-world cell phone radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposures. Environ Res. https://bit.ly/CDPHphone Calderón et al (2022) Estimation of RF and ELF dose by anatomical location in the brain from wireless phones in the MOBI-Kids study. Environ Int. https://bit.ly/3Or2x3F
Exposure Limits
International EMF Scientist Appeal (2015). https://emfscientist.org/ International Appeal: Scientists call for protection from non-ionizing electromagnetic field exposure. European J Oncology. 20(3/4). 2015. https://bit.ly/EMFAppealEurOncol Lai H, Levitt BB (2022). The roles of intensity, exposure duration, and modulation on the biological effects of radiofrequency radiation and exposure guidelines. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine. https://bit.ly/RFLaiLevitt2022 ICBE-EMF (2022). Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G. Environmental Health. https://bit.ly/ICBE-EMFpaper1 Lin J (2023). Incongruities in recently revised radiofrequency exposure guidelines and standards. Environmental Research. https://bit.ly/3lijiUP

Genetic Effects

Lai H (2021) Genetic effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15368378.2021.1881866
Blood-Brain Barrier Studies

AirPods: Are Apple's New Wireless Earbuds Safe? (Blood-Brain Barrier Effects)


5G and Millimeter Wave Studies
5G Wireless Technology: Is 5G Harmful to Our Health? 5G Wireless Technology: Millimeter Wave Health Effects
Other

Huss et al (2007) Source of funding and results of studies of health effects of mobile phone use: systematic review of experimental studies. Environ Health Perspec. https://bit.ly/2wBEmYp Fragopoulou et al (2010) Scientific panel on electromagnetic field health risks: consensus points, recommendations, and rationales. Rev Environ Health. https://bit.ly/2tWiXHP
Alster, N (2015) Captured agency: How the FCC is dominated by the industries it presumably regulates. Harvard University. https://bit.ly/FCCcaptured
Consumer Reports (2015) "Does cell-phone radiation cause cancer?" http://bit.ly/CRoncellphoneradiation
Kostoff R, Lau C (2017). Modified health effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation combined with other agents reported in the biomedical literature. In C.D. Geddes (ed.), Microwave Effects on DNA and Proteins. https://b.gatech.edu/2uyMAz0 Bandara P, Carpenter DO (2018). Planetary electromagnetic pollution: it is time to assess its impact. The Lancet Planetary Health. https://bit.ly/2GqpJQF
Foerster et al (2018). A prospective cohort study of adolescents' memory performance and individual brain dose of microwave radiation from wireless communication. Environ Health Perspect. https://bit.ly/2wJs0Pm
Hertsgaard, M, Dowie, M (2018). "How Big Wireless Made Us Think That Cell Phones Are Safe: A Special Investigation." The Nation, March 29, 2018. https://bit.ly/BigWireless
Miller et al (2019). Risks to health and well-being from radio-frequency radiation emitted by cell phones and other wireless devices. Front. Public Health https://bit.ly/2TsUNlN
Kostoff et al (2020). Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions. Toxicology Letters. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31991167/ Hardell & Carlberg (2021). Lost opportunities for cancer prevention: historical evidence on early warnings with emphasis on radiofrequency radiation. Rev Envir Res. https://bit.ly/Hardell2021 Grigoriev YG (2022). Frequencies used in Telecommunications – An Integrated Radiobiological Assessment (ORSAA translation; free 198 page book). https://bit.ly/GrigorievBook
Ishai et al (2023). Problems in evaluating the health impacts of radio frequency radiation. Envir Res. https://bit.ly/Ishai2023


Also see:
Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (studies published from 1990 on)Recent Research on Wireless Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields (1500+ abstracts from 2016 on)
PowerWatch: 1,670 Scientific Papers on EMF (1979 - 2018)Effects of Cell Phone Use on Adolescents Cell Tower Health EffectsRecent Research on WiFi EffectsEffects of Wireless Radiation on Birds and Other WildlifeElectromagnetic fields threaten wildlife
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
1.3.2023 19:55

5G Wireless Technology: Cutting Through the Hype


See the bottom of this page for links to recent news stories about 5G hype.


The CTIA, the wireless industry trade association, has launched an advertising campaign entitled, "The Global Race to 5G." The ads claim that unless the U.S. wins this "global race" to become the first nation to deploy the fifth generation of wireless technology or 5G, we will not reap the economic benefits of this technology.

The CTIA claims that "compared to today's 4G networks, 5G will be up to 100x faster, support 100x more devices, and provide a 5x faster response time." Moreover, the association asserts that the nation's wireless industry is prepared to invest $275 billion in 5G which will yield three million new jobs and $500 billion in economic growth. If we win the global race, the "next-generation of wireless will drive $2.7 trillion of new economic benefits to American families and businesses."

The CTIA has denied for decades that there are adverse health effects from exposure to wireless radiation. By establishing a revolving door between its leadership and the FCC's, the CTIA ensures that the federal regulatory agency maintains the inadequate, obsolete radio frequency exposure limits which the FCC adopted in 1996.

The FCC and federal health agencies have been oblivious to the health concerns raised by more than 240 scientists from 44 nations who have published peer-reviewed research on the biologic or health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.
More than 400 scientists and medical doctors from over 40 countries signed a declaration demanding a moratorium on the planned increase of cell antennas for 5G deployment in the European Union. Concerns over health effects from higher radiation exposure include potential neurological impacts, infertility, and cancer.
The following excerpts were extracted from a 23-page special report from RCR Wireless that cuts through much of the hype surrounding the deployment of 5G. The excerpts are direct quotes from the report. RCR Wireless is a trade publication that has reported on the wireless industry and wireless technology since 1982.
Transitioning to a 5G World
Kelly Hill, RCR Wireless, Nov 2017

Excerpts from the Report
Hype is certainly high for 5G, given that the industry is still technically in a pre-standard phase and that standalone 5G systems are still some time off.
5G is coming even faster than originally expected. In December, the first official specification from the Third Generation Partnership Project is expected to be released; 5G New Radio will finally make its standardized debut – although like Long Term Evolution, 5G will continue to evolve and be refined in the coming years.
"5G will not replace LTE," Rysavy Research concluded in an August report for the GSMA. "In most deployments, the two technologies will be tightly integrated and co-exist through at least the late-2020s."
Although the industry is preparing for 5G, LTE [4G] capabilities will continue to improve in LTE Advanced Pro through the rest of the decade," Rysavy wrote .... 5G will eventually play an important role, but it must be timed appropriately so that the jump in capability justifies the new investment.
KT, for example, plans to support two different frequencies from the get-go in its 5G network: 3.5 GHz as an anchor with better propagation, complemented by 28 GHz in dense areas. Given that networks are expected to initially be 4G/5G networks, testing will have to continue to support LTE alongside 5G.
Hurtarte of LitePoint noted that although "millimeter wave" tends to be treated as one category, there are significant differences between the components and frequency planning needed at 28 GHz versus 39 GHz. In addition, although some frequencies are widely agreed upon, there are other frequencies that may get the nod for 5G use: 24 GHz in China, possibly 40-43 Ghz and possibly even above 70 GHz.
There are some major challenges to the success of 5G, which are all interrelated: the move to mmwave, the need for ultra-density, and the question of when the economics of 5G will actually work well enough to take off.
Mmwave [millimeter wave] provides the huge bandwidths that are needed for fast speeds and high capacity, but the higher the frequency, the shorter its range and more susceptible it is to being easily blocked and reflected (thus the need for beamforming in order to focus the energy more tightly). Seasonal foliage, energy efficient glass windows with special coatings, and standard housing materials all present effective barriers to mmwave reaching indoors to customer premise equipment, operators and vendors have found in their field testing.
Denisowski pointed out that fixed wireless is one thing, but moving objects are another. Obstruction, not radiating sources of energy, is likely to be the main cause of interference in 5G systems: vehicles driving back and forth, or even wind farms can scatter microwave radiation.
Density of foliage "plays a big role," said Thadasina of Samsung, which has been working with a number of carriers on 5G trials. "What we found is that for the mmwave signal, as it penetrated through trees, the thickness of the trees matters. Initially the impedence offered by foliage is linear, but beyond a certain density it is no longer linear … it kills the signal." Building materials are well-known to play a role in transmission from outdoors to indoors, he added, but the angle of incidence does as well. The difference between 30 degrees to 60 degrees to 90 degrees can create additional impedance, Thadasina said, "some of those things make it challenging in terms of closing the link." Moisture levels play a role as well, he said ....
Fiber is fuel for 5G, and its prevalence is increasing. SNL Kagan found earlier this year that global fiber residential investment increased sharply in 2016, and that fiber is on track to reach 1 billion subscribers by 2021. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Vertical Systems Group reported that 49.6% of multi-tenant and enterprise buildings had access to fiber last year, compared to only 10% in 2004.

Deloitte said earlier this year that it expects to see $130 billion-$150 billion in "deep fiber" investment in the U.S. over 5-7 years, due to a combination of broadband competition, ensuring 5G readiness, and expanding fiber into new areas.

Murphy of Nokia said that operators should expect that, depending on which frequency they deploy in, they will need 2.5 to 10 times as many sites as they have now. That's a tall order, especially given that small cell sites in cellular frequencies can take 18 to 24 months to get site approvals – scaling small cells has been hard enough in LTE, with the market moving much more slowly than analysts had predicted or carriers would like.
"It's going to take a long time," Einbinder said. "Constructing a cell tower is hard. A micro-cell has a lot of the same issues": power and fiber and access to a site, which a community may be reluctant to grant – California, for instance, recently rejected a measure passed at the state level that would have streamlined processes for small cells.
... Einbinder thinks that some communities will take initiative and want to be 5G economic centers. While that's encouraging for operators, it may also mean that 5G coverage maps look very different from the familiar red, blue, yellow and magenta maps indicating nationwide coverage. "The resulting coverage maps might have a lot more to do with [communities] than any economic or technological drivers – it's going to be driven by local preference."
While early work estimated that as many as 40 to 50 homes could be covered by a single fixed wireless site, according to Rouault of EXFO, that number has turned out to be around five in testing because of the complexity of beamforming necessary to support multiple homes. "It's not at the point we would say the verdict is out," Rouault added. "The technology is proven to work, but to make the business case work, the scale is the problem right now."
So the biggest question is where a breakthrough is going to happen that becomes the point at which 5G becomes a more attractive investment than LTE. "What can 5G do that other systems can't? This is where there is no clear answer," said Hemant Minocha, EVP for device and IoT at TEOCO. There is no 5G requirement for IoT [Internet of Things], he points out, and the business case hasn't yet been proven out for ultra-low latency (not to mention that LTE is capable of lower latency than it has achieved to this point in networks).
Key Takeaways:
• The industry is moving quickly toward 5G, with momentum in testing and trials. The first official 5G specification from 3GPP is expected in December, with a protocol-focused release coming in the spring of 2018.
• Many features and architectures in LTE, particularly gigabit LTE, will both underpin future 5G networks and provide lessons learned in making 5G systems work. These include dense fiber deployment, higher-order and massive MIMO, network slicing, virtualization, and mobile edge computing.
• The biggest challenge for 5G lies in a millimeter-wave based RAN, with significant challenges ahead for designing and deploying a workable, optimized and profitable mmwave network on a large scale.
The RCR Wireless report, "Transitioning to a 5G World," can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/5Ghype.


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An F for the Gs: 5G discontent surfaces for 2023Ian Scales, Telecom TV, Jan 19, 2023
Is 5G worth it? Consumer hype is over, and carriers worried, says report
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5G Hype Simply Didn't DeliverKarl Bode, TechDirt, Nov 1, 2022
AT&T can't upgrade most 5G phones to new bands, regrets the errorKevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, Sep 14, 2022
5G Networks Are Worryingly Hackable
Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, Aug 24, 2022
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5G's false start is over and the iPhone SE proves it: Apple built an iPhone without millimeter wave, and it mattersSean Hollister, The Verge, Mar 9, 2022
The 5G iPhone SE will be for carriers, not customers: Apple's latest 5G upgrade is more marketing than mandatory. Chaim Gartenberg, The Verge, Mar 7, 2022
5G Has Been a $100 Billion Whiff So Far: Big telecom providers still haven't persuaded consumers to embrace the faster system. Scott Moritz & Rob Golum, Bloomberg Businessweek, Mar 3, 2022
Why 5G is 'less exciting' for consumers, analyst explains
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When will we see real 5G?CCG Consulting, POTs and PANs, Jan 19, 2022
5G wireless — yet another reason to fear flyingTara Sonenshine, The Hill, Dec 27, 2021
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I've paid for 5G for more than 2 years and it has been a complete waste of money
Andy Boxall, Digital Trends, Dec 25, 2021

Why You Won't Really Feel 5G Until 2027Sascha Segan, PC Magazine, Oct 15, 2021
5G networks left us wanting in 2020. One year later, they're still a work in progress.Washington Post, Sep 24, 2021
Barely anyone is using mmWave 5G in the U.S.
Pranob Mehrotra, XDA, July 15, 2021
Why 5G is just not catching onErnest Worthman, Above Ground Level, May 17, 2021
Dear wireless carriers: the 5G hype needs to stopAllison Johnson, The Verge, Apr 29, 2021
Why Are Carriers Telling Us to Turn Off 5G?
Sascha Segan, PC Magazine (UK), Mar 5, 2021
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Poor 5G connectivity disappoints South Korean users: Over 560,000 consumers return to 4G as applications for dispute mediation riseSotoro Suzuki, Nikkei Asia, Nov 7, 2020

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Study Finds That US 5G Speeds Are Slower Than 14 Other Countries
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Is 5G a Race We Want to Win?Doug Dawson, CircleID, Oct 29, 2020
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The 5G lie: The network of the future is still slow Geoffrey A. Fowler, Washington Post, Sep 8, 2020

AT&T's current 5G is slower than 4G in nearly every city tested by PCMag
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Executives Don't Believe the Hype Around 5G, According to Accenture Study Patrick Kulp, Adweek, Mar 1, 2019

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Enough of the 5G Hype
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Don't expect the new generation of wireless tech to replace fiber....
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Apple just endorsed AT&T's fake 5G E network
Chaim Gartenberg, The Verge, Feb 4, 2019

Verizon and AT&T Jumped the Gun on 5G
Sascha Segan, PC Magazine, Jan 31, 2019


Telecom Companies Are Seriously Overhyping 5G Networks Amir Nasr, Slate, Jan 30, 2019
5G has 200 times more access points for hackers than existing networks, experts warn Emily Jackson, Ottawa Citizen, Jan 24, 2019

Time to move beyond 5G hype
Tom Wheeler, Brookings, Jan 11, 2019

Beware the 5G Hype: Wireless Rivals Fuel Confusion
Drew FitzGerald, Wall Street Journal, Jan 9, 2019

Verizon and T-Mobile bash AT&T over 'fake 5G'
Marguerite Reardon, c|net, Jan 8, 2019

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Dan Gallagher, Wall Street Journal, Jan 2, 2019

AT&T is branding 4G networks & phones as 5G in a marketing scam: Advanced 4G is not 5G
Isaac Mayer, Techspot, Dec 22, 2018
2018 was the year of 5G hype. The 5G reality is yet to come
Brian Fung, Washington Post, Dec 21, 2018
AT&T will put a fake 5G logo on its 4G LTE phones
Jacob Kastrenakes, The Verge, Dec 21, 2018
5G wireless service is coming, but Deloitte forecasts slow rollout Troy Wolverton, Business Insider, Dec 14, 2018

Don't buy a 5G smartphone—at least, not for a while
Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, Dec 14, 2018

Why 5G Hype is Out of Control This Week
Sam Rutherford, Gizmodo, Dec 7, 2018

The first 'real world' 5G test was a dud
Sean Hollister, The Verge, Dec 4, 2018

5G Corporate Grail: Smart cities/dumb people?
Joyce Nelson. Watershed Sentinel, Nov 5, 2018.

Do we even need 5G at all?
Jeremy Kaplan, Digital Trends, Oct 26, 2018

Why 5G is out of reach for more people than you think
Shara Tibken, c|net, Oct 25, 2018

Volkswagen a winner as EU set to favour wifi over 5G: draft
Foo Yun Chee, Reuters, Oct 19, 2018

The 5G hype cycle is about to run into a hard truth: Subsidies needed!
Strategy Analytics, Business Wire, Oct 18, 2018

Carriers race to establish 5G as critics say slow down
Frederica Kolwey, Jackson Hole News & Guide, Oct 17, 2018

5G is almost a reality. Here's what it'll really feel like. Hype alert: Don't expect 5G to change your life right away.
Robert Cheng, c|net, Oct 17, 2018

Verizon's 5G rollout experiences are a mixed bag so far
Dexter Johnson, IEEE Spectrum, Oct 11, 2018

Experts worry 5G can widen digital divide in cities
Ali Breland, The Hill, Sep 30, 2018

Why 5G will disappoint everyone
Mike Elgan, Computerworld, Sep 29, 2018

Has 5G Hype Outpaced Reality?
Kate Patrick, Government Technology, Sep 28, 2018

Rural America worries it will miss out on 5G
Ali Breland, The Hill, Sep 26, 2018

FCC angers cities and towns with $2 billion giveaway to wireless carriers
Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, Sep 21, 2018

FCC's 5G masterstroke little more than big biz cash giveaway – expert
Kieren McCarthy, The Register, Sep 19, 2018

The Problem with 5G (PC Magazine censored Dvorak's article and replaced it with another article. The link is to the internet archive.)
John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine, Aug 22, 2018.
Rising Cost of 5G: Big increases in power consumption & uncertainty about how to test these devices have yet to be resolved Ed Sperling, Semiconductor Engineering. Aug 22, 2018.
The Week In 5G:6/1/2018 – 3GPP Set To Announce Final Phase-1 Standard In June; 5G Sparks Security and Health Concerns Anew Jof Enriquez, RF Globalnet, June 1, 2018
The 'Race to 5G' Is Just Mindless Marketing Bullshit
Karl Bode, Motherboard, May 4, 2018
MWC and the 5G Hype Machine Keep on Giving, and Giving and Giving...
Ernest Worthman, AGL Media Group, Apr 19, 2018

"5G" Wireless Is the New Fiber Optic, Bait-and-Switch Scandal
Bruce Kushnick, Medium, Mar 8, 2018

The 5G Hype Machine Continues to Mislead
Ernest Worthman, Above Ground Level, Feb 1, 2018

Super-fast 5G wireless is coming this year, but it probably won't be cheap
David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times, Jan 9, 2018

Upgrade to 5G Costs $200 Billion a Year, May Not Be Worth It Olga Kharif and Scott Moritz, Bloomberg, Dec 18, 2017

Impact of EMF Limits on 5G Network Rollout
Christer Tornevik, ITU Workshop on 5G, EMF and Health, Dec 5, 2017

Microwave Radiation Coming to a Lamppost near You
Merinda Teller, MPH, PhD, Weston A. Price Foundation, Dec 1, 2017

5G Is Not the Answer For Rural Broadband
Larry Thompson and Warren Vande Stadt, Broadband Communities. March/April, 2017

The Next Generation of Wireless -- "5G"-- Is All Hype
Susan Crawford, Wired, Aug 11, 2016

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
7.2.2023 02:06

Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields: Thirty years of research


Feb 4, 2023 UpdateEffects of Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure on Free Radical-Related Cellular Processes (290 studies)
Dr. Henry Lai, Professor Emeritus, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington

This document contains abstracts for 290 studies published since 1997 that assessed the effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on free radical-related cellular processes.

See pages 164-187 for the Table that summarizes key details about each study.

Summary

1. Of the 290 studies published since 1997, 263 studies (91%) reported statistically significant effects of radiofrequency radiation on free radical-related cellular processes; only 27 studies (9%) found no significant effects.

2. Change in cellular free radical status is a consistent effect of radiofrequency radiation exposure.

3. Effects can occur at low specific absorption rates (SAR) or power density of exposure. Seventy studies are marked LI for low intensity (0.4 W/kg). Of the 70 low intensity exposure studies, 68 studies (91%) reported significant effects on free radical-related cellular processes.

4. Effects have been reported at different frequencies, exposure duration, and modulations, and in different biological systems, cell lines, and animal species. These data support the assertion that "Radiofrequency radiation affects cellular free radical processes."

5. Most of the studies are live animal (in vivo) studies with long-term exposure, e.g., daily exposure up to several months.

6. Some studies used mobile phones or RFR-emitting devices for exposure (see Table). The SAR and characteristics of RFR in these studies are not well defined. However, these studies should not be overlooked because they represent real-life exposure scenarios. Waveform modulations of RFR during wireless communication usage probably play an important role in biological effects which are not revealed in studies that used a simple form of radiation (e.g., continuous-wave or GSM) and spatially uniform fields. Researchers in bioelectromagnetics should realize that the perfect RFR exposure system simulating real life exposures simply does not exist.

To download the 187-page document (pdf): https://bit.ly/RFR-oxidative-Lai-2023

--
Feb 1, 2018 (Updated June 26, 2022)

The preponderance of research published from 1990 through April 2022 has found significant effects from exposure to radio frequency radiation as well as to extremely low frequency and static electromagnetic fields. Overall, 76% (n=796) of 1,046 radio frequency radiation (RFR) studies reported significant effects. Additionally, 88% (n=810) of 916 extremely low frequency (ELF) and static electromagnetic field studies found significant effects.

Currently, there are 1,962 studies in Dr. Henry Lai's collection of research on the effects of exposure to RFR and static or ELF electromagnetic fields (EMF). The abstracts for these studies can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.

Government and industry-linked scientists often claim that research on the effects of exposure to EMF is inconsistent, and that more research is needed before health warnings are issued or regulatory exposure limits are strengthened.

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization classified radio frequency radiation (RFR) "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B). The IARC plans to review RFR again by 2024 because most peer-reviewed studies published in the past decade found significant evidence that RFR causes genotoxicity. Thus, the IARC will likely re-classify RFR to either "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A) or "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1) at the next expert review.
Cell phones and other wireless devices also produce static and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields. ELF was classified by the IARC as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B) a decade before RFR received this classification.

Dr. Henry Lai, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington and Editor Emeritus of the journal, Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, has compiled summaries of the research on the biologic and health effects of exposure to RFR and ELF EMF. His set of abstracts which cover the period from 1990 to April 2022 constitute a comprehensive collection of this research.
Dr. Lai reports that the preponderance of the research has found that exposure to RFR or ELF EMF produces oxidative damage or free radicals, and damages DNA. Moreover the preponderance of RFR studies that examined genetic and neurological effects has found significant effects.
The evidence for DNA damage has been found more consistently in animal and human (in vivo) studies than in studies of cell cultures (in vitro).

Top Line Results
Overall, 82% (n=1,608) of 1,962 studies of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields reported significant biologic effects.
Radio frequency radiation:
91% (n=263) of 288 oxidative damage (or free radical) studies published since 1997 reported significant effects.

68% (n=291) of 423 genetic effects studies
published since 1990 reported significant effects.
73% (n=244) of 335 neurological studies published since 2007 reported significant effects.
Overall, 76% (n=798) of 1,046 radio frequency radiation studies reported significant biologic effects.

Extremely low frequency and static electromagnetic fields::

90% (n=270) of 298 oxidative damage (or free radical) studies published since 1990 reported significant effects.
84% (n=257) of 307 genetic effects studies published since 1990 reported significant effects.
91% (n=283) of 311 neurological studies published since 2007 reported significant effects.

Overall, 88% (n=810) of 916 extremely low frequency and static electromagnetic field studies reported significant biologic effects.

Links to abstracts: https://bioinitiative.org/research-summaries/

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