Living among the Waves  – a multipart series focusing on the electromagnetic environment and what that means for our health and well being.

Living among the waves series will heighten your awareness of the invisible, but real, affects of radio frequency radiation (RF).  We pass through countless electromagnetic fields (EMF) daily and perceive nothing.  Does that mean RF has no effect on our bodies and the bodies of our children either born or developing?  Is there a causal link between RF, EMF and illness?  If we want to make lifestyle changes to limit exposure, what should those changes be?

To answer these questions and more, it behooves us to understand what Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are and how they have become so prevalent in our lives.  Perhaps our embracing of this suite of technologies was a bit hasty.  Just because we can doesn’t mean that we should.

There are numerous serious biological effects associated with EMF on both male and female reproductive ability.  These effects are not associated with heating of tissue, and are not part of the SAR testing method used by the FCC and technology manufacturers to determine deleterious effects of EMF exposure.

Myung Chan Gye et al. in their paper on the effects of electromagnetic field exposure on the reproductive system, confirmed that EMF exposure can alter cellular homeostasis, endocrine function, reproductive function, and fetal development in animal systems. Reproductive parameters reported to be altered by EMF exposure include male germ cell death, the estrous cycle, reproductive endocrine hormones, reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, early embryonic development, and pregnancy success. At the cellular level, an increase in free radicals and [Ca²⁺]i may mediate the effect of EMFs and lead to cell growth inhibition, protein misfolding, and DNA breaks.

Possible human diseases related with EMF exposure obtained from epidemiological studies include life threatening diseases such as leukemia in children and adults, brain cancer in adults, Lou Gehrig’s disease, depression, suicide, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Non-ionizing nonthermal EMF exposure can alter cellular homeostasis, endocrine function, reproductive function, and fetal development.  This impacts both male and female reproductive systems including: male germ cell apoptosis, the estrous cycle, reproductive endocrine hormones,, reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, early embryonic development, and overall pregnancy success.

There is a robust body of research pertaining to the male reproductive system and EMF.  Several studies have determined a significant decrease in testosterone, sperm viability, motility, and morphology all resulting from increased EMF radiation sourced from cell phones, other wireless devices and their use.

Chronic exposure to EMF can inhibit cell apoptosis (cell death), thereby promoting survival of damaged cells and carcinogenesis (cancer development).  Additional effects can be seen in the increase of permeability of the blood-testes barrier resulting in male infertility.

Experimental and epidemiological studies have now demonstrated that EMF exposure is linked with impaired development of brain structures and functions of the fetus.  Additionally, EMF exposure has now been shown to have deleterious effects on the reproductive organs and reproductive capacity of children yet to be born.

Experimental evidence now demonstrates prenatal effects could range from impaired oogenesis and spermatogenesis to reduced number of brain pyramidal cells, neuronal impairments, and ovarian dysfunction.  Studies are tying increased DNA damage in multiple organs to EMF exposure in the 900Mhz-2.1Ghz frequency bands.  These happen to be the bands used by cell phone carriers.  They may be better known as 3G, 4G 5G.

Experiments now show daily exposure for as little as 1-2 hrs to EMF produces inflammation and impairment of ovarian function that is surprisingly consistent with endometritis – a problem that seems to be growing in the young adolescent population.

The effects of exposure to EMF enjoys two decades of research that has found EMF negatively affects both the structure and the function of the prenatal and adult central nervous system.

The environmental action plan take away for women who are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant is to take notice of your home, work, and play environments. learn to identify sources of EMF and then avoid them.

Whenever possible there should be at least a meter between yourself and any wireless device.  It is preferable that you have even greater distances between you and any wireless device.  Turn off the cellular radio in your laptop or desktop computer.  In like manner turn off the wireless LAN radio in your equipment as well.  Remember that your printer, if it is wireless, has a radio transmitting just like a laptop.

Install a wired LAN with drops in the rooms that you occupy.

Keep in mind that there is no level of microwave radiation which is safe.  Look around your home and work for where wireless products may be located.  Think twice before you purchase a wireless baby monitor.  These devices transmit continuously when on and flood your infant with EMF.

If your employer requires you use wireless equipment, inquire as to any alternative devices that might be available for your use.  If you are in or near a building with a cell phone antenna array consider relocating your office to a location as far from the array as possible.  If you cant get away from the antenna array consider a new job.

Remember that cellular damage from EMF is more often than not permanent damage.

Living among the Waves  – a multipart series focusing on the electromagnetic environment and what that means for our health and well being.

Living among the waves series will heighten your awareness of the invisible, but real, affects of radio frequency radiation (RF).  We pass through countless electromagnetic fields (EMF) daily and perceive nothing.  Does that mean RF has no effect on our bodies and the bodies of our children either born or developing?  Is there a causal link between RF, EMF and illness?  If we want to make lifestyle changes to limit exposure, what should those changes be?

To answer these questions and more, it behooves us to understand what Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are and how they have become so prevalent in our lives.  Perhaps our embracing of this suite of technologies was a bit hasty.  Just because we can doesn’t mean that we should.

There are many biological pathways that are affected by non-ionizing EMF.  Voltage Controlled Calcium Gates (VCCG) that are perturbed by pulsed EMF is one of the more accepted pathways for damage.  VCCG’s are responsible for actively transporting Calcium ions across cellular membranes in support of signalling and regulation of cellular homeostasis.

Panagopoulos et al. in 2000 established repeated irregular gating of electro-sensitive ion channels disrupts the cellular electrochemical balance and homeostasis.  This leads to overproduction of reactive oxygen species(ROS).  He found that repeated exposure cascaded into numerous biological affects to include cell membrane weakening.  Ultimately ROS lead to the pathological state of oxidative stress essential in regulation of cancer progression.

This was not an unexpected finding, in that ROS are well understood to regulate every step of tumorigenesis and have been found to be upregulated in tumors and aberrant signaling.  Likewise, ROS, plays a significant role in the onset of diabetes and other neurodegenerative disease.  Repeated animal studies are consistent in their finding EMF exposure at very low ionization levels result in ROS.

The level of concern was amplified when it was determined that children with developing immune systems are more sensitive and consequently more vulnerable to ROS.

In 2020 the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences conducted research into the toxicology associated with Cellular radiation.  Stephanie L. Smith-Roe et al. tested two common radiofrequency modulations emitted by cellular telephones in a 2-year study.  Their study findings demonstrated exposure to EMF radiation is associated with an increase in DNA damage.

It comes as no surprise that children are more sensitive to environmental pollutants.  EMF radiation can be counted as one of those pollutants to which children are particularly sensitive.  As a population group their sensitivity begins in the womb where they are bombarded with EMF from their mother’s laptop, cell phone, and wireless networks that she moves between both at work and at home.

As a group, the present generation and future generations will be in an ever increasing bath of EMF radiation.  What effect this is having for the current generation can be measured and reported.  However, future generations in the Womb or yet-to-be conceived remain in a gray area of impact, due to the unknown policies that may be affected to protect against childhood EMF radiation.

Children should never be considered small adults.  They are uniquely children with a physiology that occupies a developing body.  Their bodies proportionately absorb greater amounts of EMF radiation.  One of the distinguishing differences between adults and children is the size of their heads.  Children have smaller heads with a developing cranium which results in shorter distances for EMF to travel to reach critical brain regions.

The pediatric cerebellum as it’s developing contains more fluid which enables it to absorb relatively more EMF radiation.  Simulations indicate a 10-fold increase in absorption of cell phone radiation in the cerebellum, the bone marrow of the skull, and up to a 30-fold greater absorption in the hippocampus.

The times when a child is most susceptible to EMF is during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood.  These are the times when the brain is growing rapidly.  Neuronal cell growth continues at a rapid pace until mid-life when the protective myelin sheath finally ceases its formation.  Mary Redmayne et al. in their study of EMF field exposure against the myelin sheath determined:

Overall, evidence from in vivo and in vitro and epidemiological studies suggests an association between RF-EMF exposure and either myelin deterioration or a direct impact on neuronal conduction, which may account for many electrohypersensitivity symptoms.

The impairment of myelin sheath development can have lifelong implications for neurodevelopment.

The emission tests of wireless devices use two methods to ascertain strength of the EMF.  These are discussed earlier.  The penetrating aspect of the wireless device is markedly different when considering an adult skull v. a child’s skull.  As mentioned above the child’s skull has a multi-fold increase in absorption as opposed to the adult skull.

The diagram shows 4 positions of skulls A,B,C,D, each position shows an adult male and a male child.  The grey rectangle shows the position of the cellphone to the skull.  Notice the intensity and coverage of the brain with EMF radiation.  The intensity and coverage of the entire cranium is more pronounced in the child than in the adult.

When considering the overall radiation absorption of a 6 year old using a tablet on a WiFi network the degree to which the face is bathed in EMF radiation is concerning.  In this diagram the wireless device is broadcasting using a 2.45 Ghz WiFi enabled tablet.  Notice the entire face is lit up as is the frontal lobe of the brain.

Prior to the pandemic research studies were conducted at the School of Public Health at UCLA.  The studies were focused on cell phones and behavioral problems in young children.  The studies found that exposure prenatally, and to a lesser degree postnatally was associated with behavioral difficulties including emotional and hyperactivity difficulties at school entry ages.

The effects of EMF on children in both the prenatal and postnatal periods are difficult to take in.  Especially when considering that it is us who might have adversely affected our most prized treasure.  Yet, it is never too late to take action.

First step if you are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant – toss the wireless devices.   Devices like a laptop, cell phone, printer, and tablet are shown to adversely affect your baby.  If you need these devices to earn an income there are alternatives configurations you can explore.

Step one: wire the house for Ethernet.  add a network drop wherever you need to connect a computer or printer or phone.

Step two: turn off the radio portion of your network router.  If you are going to add network drops in rooms where you live and work, you don’t need the wireless portion of the router enabled.

Step three: turn off the wireless radio on your laptop and, if needed, purchase an Ethernet dongle to attach to your laptop.

Step four: buy an ip phone and contact 1-voip.com to buy or configure a phone you purchase.  You can use any ip phone service.  Do your research on quality of service before you commit.

Step five: Take notice of the wireless network at work.  If your employer requires you to use wireless equipment, have a chat with them and express your concerns about general health and the health of your baby.  Chances your employer isn’t aware of the health problems associated with wireless communications.

Step six: If you work in a building with cell phone antenna mounted  on it consider leaving or asking to work from home.  There is no safe place in the building where microwaves from the antenna cant find you.

Step seven: take notice of your friends and their phones and chat with them about what you have learned.  Educate educate educate.  Your friends will thank you.

Living among the Waves  – a multipart series focusing on the electromagnetic environment and what that means for our health and well being.

Living among the waves series will heighten your awareness of the invisible, but real, affects of radio frequency radiation (RF).  We pass through countless electromagnetic fields (EMF) daily and perceive nothing.  Does that mean RF has no effect on our bodies and the bodies of our children either born or developing?  Is there a causal link between RF, EMF and illness?  If we want to make lifestyle changes to limit exposure, what should those changes be?

To answer these questions and more, it behooves us to understand what Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are and how they have become so prevalent in our lives.  Perhaps our embracing of this suite of technologies was a bit hasty.  Just because we can doesn’t mean that we should.

We exist in a society where breakthroughs are common place and advances in most fields occur with such rapidity that no individual can possibly entertain any hope of keeping track of them.  It’s also apparent that no matter the field in question, wireless communication has in some measure made itself indispensable.

In our collective effort to be the best, have the best, and invest in the best, we seem to have abandoned our ability to reason and discern.  As a consumer society, we are increasingly dependent upon marketers/influencers to define our needs and wants.  Their responsibility is to imbue a desire in our minds with sufficient repetition that it becomes second nature to assume the story is true.

The Svengalis of new technologies want us to accept without question their technology imperative: because something can technically be done, then it should be done.  To a large extent they have succeeded, and we don’t seem to possess the will to transcend the Svengali moment, courageously looking future in the eye and  opting for a moment of pause and perhaps thoughtful contemplation.  Our children bear the brunt of our unquenchable thirst, a thirst we satisfy without regard to the many effects observed both now and yet to be revealed in the future.

When new technologies are introduced we are compelled to implement them.  Consider cellphone frequency labels of 3G, 4G, 5G.  These labels describe enhancements to frequencies and data rates.  Adoption of new frequencies requires new hardware be designed and old hardware replaced.  If we want the new features provided by  new frequencies then we must acquire new transceivers (cell phones) that can make use of the new frequencies.

What is driving our decision to upgrade our cell phones? is it a set of features and the overarching health implications of ownership or the inability to acquire a replacement device with the older frequencies.  Stated more succinctly, am I making the conscious decision to adopt new features or are new frequencies imposed on me by manufacturers (Svengalis) of equipment.

The same situation plays itself out in the purchase of laptops, PDA’s, PC’s, access points, wireless network gear, and other wireless enabled products.  The decision to acquire technology items is less to do with health than to establish or maintain a work/home environment that is less costly to support and less complicated to implement.

Often when confronted with sudden changes or overwhelmingly complicated situations, the tendency is to defer, relegate, or follow another’s example from someone we trust.  When acquiring new technology it is very difficult to be the expert on the many descriptive elements found listed on packaging.  It is even more difficult to maintain effective levels of knowledge pertaining to the health implications of use.

Effective management in any organization, including the home, comes down to making straightforward decisions based on the best information available.  This relatively simple approach streamlines the decision-making process and limits any confusion.  Establishing guidelines is a natural outcome of the decision-making process.  The best available information is used in making a guideline.  The guideline is then available to be applied whenever it is needed.

The use of guidelines is nothing new for any parent of a child.  It is a time-honored truth that parents universally seem to have an innate ability to establish guidelines for safe conduct, within which their children live and learn.  This is played out by the parental indifference to yearning by children at the grocery store.  It is also seen when a guideline becomes the condition by which play can occur.  Take for example the parental guidance regarding skateboarding.  It’s okay to go skateboarding, but it is not okay to skateboard without a helmet and safety pads.

A parent has a much broader frame of reference  from which discerning judgments can be made.   However, Just having a broader frame of reference does not translate to having knowledge that can be used to set a safety guideline.  To establish home/work guidance regarding EMF some research is needed.  Continue reading and begin/continue building your knowledge base.

When considering wireless technologies, children are surrounded by transmitters and receivers from the time they are infants onward.  Only recently have efforts been made to perform research on the effects of Electromagnetic Fields  (EMF) on children.  What is becoming apparent is that wireless technologies when used at an early stage of life can interfere with social development, learning, socialization, and have a demonstrable health affect on a child that can have lifelong potentially irreversible adverse biological effects.

In correspondence from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the Federal Trade Comission, the President of the academy articulated that “Children are not little adults and are disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation.”  [McInerny T.K.. Letter from President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Thomas K. McInerny, MD, FAAP to the FCC. August 2013.]

For a decade or more the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have advised that children two and under have no screen time.  Sadly infant and toddler use of devices is skyrocketing.

According to PEW research Children’s engagement with electronic digital devices is significant.  As a child matures their use of electronic devices grows.  Of particular concern are the tablet and smartphone columns.  These columns show a surprisingly high number of  children with exposure to EMF at a very vulnerable age.

Regulatory agencies like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP) hold that low level EMF exposure is non tissue heating and therefore safe.  The difficulty with the regulatory stance is the singular focus on tissue heating.  Recent studies are demonstrating non-thermal tissue levels of EMF can cause adverse effects.  The list of effects include induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cardiomyopathy, sperm damage, DNA damage, carcinogenecity, and neurological effects to include memory damage.

[I. Belyaev, C. Blackman, K. Chamberlin, et al. Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G. Environ Health, 21 (1) (2022), p. 92]

Concern surrounding health effects of radiation have been present since the mid 1930’s when Marie Curie’s death was associated with prolonged exposure to radiation during her research.  More recently, member states of the European Union and the U.S. FCC have relied upon the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and others, for their guidance on occupational exposure from EMF  from all sources.

The standard upon which the IEEE bases their guidance is keyed to tissue thermal effects of EMF.  Generally speaking the IEEE position is, excessive heating is to be avoided.

According to other research-based organizations like the Oceania Radiofrequency Scientific Assessment Association (ORSAA), the IEEE guidance is lacking and only addressing a singular effect associated with EMF exposure.  ORSAA and others suggest the standards for evaluating wireless devices are not in keeping with the advancements in the supporting technologies.  Consequently, the FCC standards are not representative of standards necessary to adequately evaluate health effects of EMF and do not adequately protect the public from adverse health effects.

To set a standard for comparison and evaluation a reproducible effect had to be determined with regard to EMF.  The metric that was established was called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).  It became the guage by which a rate of electromagnetic energy absorption could be quantified.  The SAR is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg).  The energy is measured over time at 6 minutes and 30 minute time frame.  The measurement is taken in a 1g or 10g volume placed within a 12-pound area containing homogenous fluid shaped as a human head.  A similar 220 pound plastic body is also used to represent the human torso.

A SAR of 1.6W/kg is the allowable head and torso absorption rate, whereas 4.0W/kg is permissible in the extremities (including the ear).

The measurement is taken in a 1g or 10g volume placed within a 12-pound area containing homogenous fluid shaped as a human head.  A similar 220 pound plastic body is also used to represent the human torso.

A SAR of 1.6W/kg is the allowable head and torso absorption rate, whereas 4.0W/kg is permissible in the extremities (including the ear).

The difficulties with this method of measurement are painfully apparent.  While we applaud the FCC and others for having and enforcing a standard, we also expect the FCC to remain current with regard to research and amend established standards to reflect the domestic and international peer reviewed research.

The one size fits all approach fails in many ways to address the variability in body mass present in the population.  Likewise, the constant salinity of the homogeneous test fluid does not adequately account for the varying densities of internal organic structures found within each body and the varying conductivity of different tissues.

The base assumption, upon which the SAR is based, is faulty.  The assumption is that harm to the body can only be caused by a heating effect to the brain or torso that causes a 1 degree Celsius rise.  Lower heating is safe and considered non-hazardous.

A complementary test method to the SAR is the Ambient Power Density (APD) method.  This measure uses watts per square meter as the metric.  Since a meter is a large area to measure the metric is reduced to a measurable milliwatts per square centimeter.  APD is used to measure the flow of electromagnetic waves in the sample size and it is typically a measurement taken at a distance from the source.

We can thank the NAVY and US ARMY for these measures of electromagnetic energy. In the late 1950’s there was a concern for radar operators.  Eye damage and epithelial tissue burns were evident, and the exposure limit was set at 10W/m.  This value became the standard and was adopted by the American Standard Association and the IEEE.  The measurement standard value has not changed in the past 70 years and is still in effect.

In 1996 the FCC established guidelines for allowable EMF RF for frequencies in the 300KHz – 100GHz range for the public.  These frequencies are inclusive of the widely known 3G and 5G cellphone frequency range labels.  Their guidelines were based on a 1986 report from the National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurement (NCRP) – a professionally troubled organization and the IEEE.

It is concerning that the ICNIRP and the IEEE do not consider non-thermal effects of EMF RF as significantly relevant.  This is particularly troubling when considering other professional organizations like the ICBE-EMF and ORSAA  have widely differing views which run counter to the official guidance.

The battle against the FCC guidance position has included in excess of 11,000 pages of published scientific studies supporting and recommending the FCC strengthen their guidelines.  The FCC largely ignored the submitted science and in 2021 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a judgement in Environmental Health Trust et al v. FCC.

The court found the agency negligent in providing a rational record of review and had failed to show evidence of examination of studies on the greater vulnerability of children to include long term exposure impacts.

The international regulatory bodies have been listening, and the once mighty FCC has, to some extent, lost footing in RF emissions standards governance.   Other countries have established significantly lower emission thresholds for the public, and the use of wireless communications.

The most interesting takeaway from the lower emissions standards is the ability of the population to continue using wireless technology, albeit at significantly lower power levels.

The knowledge base is growing and it is becoming increasingly more difficult for agencies like the FCC to justify their positions regarding EMF strength and the public health.  To what extent politics play a role is poorly understood.  Yet, there must be industry influencers that are pushing back against change, wanting to keep power levels where they are.

Keep in mind that it is in industries’ best interest to keep power levels high.  Higher signal levels translates directly into better device performance and overall satisfaction.  There is a real cost to circuit redesign and re-certification can be a lengthy process.  Unfortunately, when trying to introduce lower power technology into the high power wireless device marketplace, the matter of one device overshadowing all lower power devices is real.  To overcome the dampening effect, the FCC would have to issue new guidance to force low power adoption in all wireless devices.

The action for all is simple and straightforward.  Continue to bring this matter to the forefront of policy-makers’ minds.  Do this by asking questions of employers regarding potential health effects of wireless technology.  Let your doctor know you are aware of the health effects and ask their opinion on the matter.  Have conversations with school leadership personnel.  If you are fortunate to have contact with governmental policy makers, speak with them and share your knowledge.

This topic is a hard one for all involved.  We all use the wireless technologies, and to some extent, have become dependent.  So, what to do personally as an action plan.

Fall back on the skateboard guidance paradigm.  It’s okay to skateboard, but it is not okay to do so without a helmet and pads.  It’s okay to use wireless devices, but it is not okay to continually keep wireless devices near your body.  The most important first step is to distance yourself from wireless devices. Act on those things over which you have a modicum of control.

Take a proactive approach to removing cell phones from sleeping areas, and out of pockets.  It is proximity to the originating signal that causes harm.  A meter is about as close as you want to be to a cell phone or other wireless device.

Separate yourself from your cellphone.  Start with keeping the cell phone away from your body as much as possible.

Look into wiring your house for ethernet.  Having a network installed in the house is not as difficult as it sounds.  A good installer can usually accomplish the task in a day and have you up and running in short order.

There are many actions you can take to push back against the wireless effect on your health and to live among the waves.  Be sure to read our next article to learn even more about cellphone radiation and your health.

Living among the Waves  – a multipart series focusing on the electromagnetic environment and what that means for our health and well being.

Living among the waves series will heighten your awareness of the invisible, but real, affects of radio frequency radiation (RF).  We pass through countless electromagnetic fields (EMF) daily and perceive nothing.  Does that mean RF has no effect on our bodies and the bodies of our children either born or developing?  Is there a causal link between RF, EMF and illness?  If we want to make lifestyle changes to limit exposure, what should those changes be?

To answer these questions and more, it behooves us to understand what Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are and how they are so prevalent in our lives.

An electromagnetic field is a physical field of energy produced by electrically charged objects in motion.  It consists of electric and magnetic components that are interrelated and propagate (move) through space as waves.  Electromagnetic fields are created by the interaction of electric charges and their associated electric fields, as well as by moving charges and their associated magnetic fields.

Electromagnetic fields are fundamental to the understanding of electromagnetism, which is a branch of physics that deals with the study of electric and magnetic phenomena.  They play a crucial role in various aspects of our everyday lives, as well as in many technological applications.

The electric component of an electromagnetic field is produced by electric charges, whether they are stationary or in motion.  Electric fields exert forces on other electric charges and can influence the behavior of charged particles.

The magnetic component of an electromagnetic field is generated by moving electric charges or by changing electric fields.  Magnetic fields can induce electric currents in conductive materials and interact with other magnetic fields.

.Electromagnetic fields propagate through space as electromagnetic waves, which can have various frequencies and wavelengths.  This spectrum of electromagnetic waves spans from extremely low frequencies (ELF) to extremely high frequencies encompassing familiar names like: radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.  Each portion (set of frequencies) of the spectrum has distinct properties and applications.

Understanding and controlling electromagnetic fields have led to many technological advancements, such as radio communication, television, wireless networks, medical imaging (MRI), cell phones, and countless other applications.

Devices and technologies that make use of EMF are diverse and found in all aspects of our lives.  This is mostly due to the convenience that EMF affords.  EMF is at the core of all wireless communication.  The ability to use a piece of technology without any attached wires is a valuable attribute of EMF. The convenience and mobility this affords in our daily lives is remarkable.

EMF is at the heart of all electronics and the innumerable number of printed circuit boards tucked away inside all manner of devices.

The past few decades have seen an increase in EMF radiation in all areas of our lives.  From the time of birth an infant is lovingly placed in a crib with a wireless baby monitor. The house network is available to stream soothing music to wireless speakers in the baby’s room.  The room is softly lit with LED lights using a power supply.  The room is on the side of the house where the power meter is located. The parents have a wireless alarm system monitoring the windows and doors, and whenever the baby is attended to the adults are carrying their cell phones in their pockets.  This infant is in a continual bath of EMF radiation.

Take a moment and consider all the devices that you have at home and the office that use batteries.  These would include any item that requires a charge in order to operate.  Depending on your stage in life you might have a slew of baby related devices including a baby monitor and toys.  With older kids the electric toothbrush is popular as are radios and bedroom clocks and any number of flashlights.  Rechargeable Scooters are everywhere and who could live without a cell phone and the many devices with which  it interconnects.  In school and at work it has become common place to carry a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) like an iPAD and laptop computer.

Depending on your profession you may have to carry any number of wireless tools to perform your job.  In the medical field consider the sheer number of devices that are used to gather vital statistics and illuminate surface areas for examination and treatment.  In the construction and manufacturing fields most, if not all, previously cord-powered tools are now wireless.  The airline industry is also no stranger to cordless tools used to maintain and clean aircraft. In the home, particularly the kitchen, there seem to be any number of battery powered devices.  Who could live without a cordless vacuum cleaner, floor steamer, and hand held spot vacuum.  Law enforcement seems to have a never-ending need for hand-held devices to support their activities.

The number of devices which need batteries is seemingly never-ending.  This is great news for the battery manufacturers as they continue to develop new battery chemistries to store and release energy.

When cordless devices are in use they all produce EMF.  Many cordless devices not only produce EMF as a byproduct of operation, but are designed to generate very intense EMF as a critical component of their use.  Consider a cell phone that could not communicate with a tower, or a wristwatch that could not communicate or an iPad or laptop that couldn’t reach a network.  Communicating on a wireless network requires a device to generate significant EMF to reach the antennas of the network.

Construction tools that are wireless generate large quantities of EMF due to the amount of electrical current the tool requires to operate.  EMF is generated in the battery pack from the battery chemistry.  EMF is then generated by current flowing in wires from the battery to the tool’s circuit board.  The circuit board produces EMF from the electronic components on the board.  Finally the motor or other electrically activated mechanism produces EMF as it operates.  In a power tool there can be multiple sources of EMF each varying in field strength.  Even when a tool is not being used many expensive construction tools have a wireless monitor circuit that communicates to a monitoring station on the construction site to guard against tool theft.  So, the tool is generating EMF even when it is not in use.

EMF is not unique to just cordless devices.  EMF is generated whenever electrical power moves through a conductor.  A plugged in lamp in your room or office will generate EMF the moment it is turned on.  Not only will the bulb generate EMF, but the wires leading to the lamp will generate EMF as will the wires in the wall attached to the outlet.  EMF is generated by each conductor from the lamp back to the generator from which the power originated.

The strength of the EMF is proportional to the amount of current moving through the wire.  So, the amount of EMF generated around an extension cord is much less than the amount of EMF near the power meter of your house.  The power meter for your home feeds all the extension cords in your house and everything else that needs power.  So, the power meter has more current running through it than just your lamp’s extension cord.

EMF is also generated by antennae arrays like cell towers and radio/TV stations.  Each cell tower is a significant source of EMF.  So are cell phones, laptops, iPads, and any other wireless computing device.  Other sources of EMF are Microwave ovens, and access point routers found in the home, office, stores, and other businesses like restaurants and book stores.

When considering the many sources of EMF radiation trying to avoid EMF is a daunting task.

There is a growing scientific and social interest in the influence of EMF radiation on health, even upon exposure that is significantly below the generally accepted applicable standards. The intensity of electromagnetic radiation in the environment is increasing and has currently reached astronomical levels never before experienced.

The most concerning aspect of EMF and its’ impact on living organisms, is its direct tissue penetration.  The current established standards of exposure to EMF are based upon the thermal effect. It is well known that weak EMF could cause all sorts of dramatic non-thermal effects in body cells, tissues and organs.

It has been over a decade since the International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) classified radio electromagnetic fields to a category of 2b as potentially carcinogenic.

EMF can be dangerous not only because of the risk of cancer, but also other health problems, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS).  Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is a phenomenon characterized by the appearance of symptoms after exposure of people to electromagnetic fields.

EHS is characterized as a syndrome as opposed to a disease with a broad set of non-specific multiple organ symptoms including inflammatory processes located mainly in the skin and nervous systems, as well as in respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal system.

It is important to note the symptoms of EHS may be associated with a single source of EMF or be derived from a combination of many sources.

It is important to note the symptoms of EHS may be associated with a single source of EMF or be derived from a combination of many sources.

The number of people suffering from EHS is growing describing themselves as severely dysfunctional, showing multi organ non-specific symptoms upon exposure to low doses of electromagnetic radiation, often associated with hypersensitivity to many chemical agents (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity-MCS) and/or other environmental intolerances (Sensitivity Related Illness-SRI).

The environment in which we work and play is literally full of radio frequency energy.  The number of transmitters and receivers is staggering.  In addition to the devices that are purposed to be transmitters, there are sources of radio frequency energy that are not purposed to be transmitters.  Items like light bulbs, power cables, hair dryers, clothes irons, furnaces, air conditioners, electronic devices, clocks, solar cells, electric vehicles, radios, battery chargers, electric tooth brushes, etc.   Each of these devices generates radio frequency energy.

These are items that we come into contact with in our homes, that we have control over  We can, generally,  choose to turn on or off these devices.  There are even more devices that we come into contact with when we leave our homes and perform daily activities.  So, it is a reasonable question to ask if there are negative affects associated with all of the radio frequency energy that we encounter every day.

The Living Among the Waves series will continue with an exploration of what research has established as dangerous to health.

Living among the Waves  – a multipart series focusing on the electromagnetic environment and what that means for our health and well being.

Living among the waves series will heighten your awareness of the invisible, but real, affects of radio frequency radiation (RF).  We pass through countless electromagnetic fields (EMF) daily and perceive nothing.  Does that mean RF has no effect on our bodies and the bodies of our children either born or developing?  Is there a causal link between RF, EMF and illness?  If we want to make lifestyle changes to limit exposure, what should those changes be?

To answer these questions and more, it behooves us to understand what Electricity, RF and EMF are and how they came to be so prevalent in our lives.  In the process we will encounter colorful characters who really were jumping into the unknown and discovering principles and methods of something that would be called electricity and eventually RF and EMF.

The term “electricity” has its origins in the ancient Greek language. The word “ēlektron” (ἤλεκτρον) in Greek referred to amber, a yellowish fossilized resin that has the property of attracting lightweight objects when rubbed with certain materials like fur.

The Greek  philosopher Thales of Miletus (600 BC) observed this phenomenon and gave it the name “ēlektron.”

Jumping forward a few centuries, Pliny the Elder (100 AD) described various electric phenomena including the properties of certain fish.  It would take 7 centuries before the Parthians, in what is now Iraq, were believed to have created a device known as the Bagdad Battery.  The exact purpose of this artifact is still debated, but some suggest it was used for early electroplating.

History is quiet regarding any significant activity pertaining to electricity or related devices.  It would be almost 9 centuries before recorded history would once again begin to divulge activities related to elektron.

On or about 1600 history reveals scientists William Gilbert and Otto von Guericke establishing the foundation for the understanding of electricity.

Gilbert’s book, “De Magnete” (1600) published in Latin, introduced the term “electricity” to describe the various phenomena associated with the attractive and repulsive properties observed in objects like amber and lodestone (a naturally occurring magnetic rock).

Gilbert derived the term “electricity” from the Greek word “ēlektron,” connecting it to the concept of the attractive properties displayed by substances like amber.

Over time, the term “electricity” became widely used to describe the phenomenon of the flow of electric charge, as well as the related phenomena of electrical currents, fields, and effects.

It would take until 1745 for any notable advancement to be made.  The Leyden Jar was a notable advancement.  It was developed by Ewald George von Kleist and Peter van Musschenbroek.  The Leyden Jar was the first practical device for storing static electricity.  Within 10 years Mr. Benjamin Franklin would make additional experiments with the Leyden Jar including his relatively famous kite and key experiment.

The world, it seemed, had just sped up and there was no stopping what had started with a golden age of discovery which seemed to coincide with the founding of a new nation, under God, where all men were created equal.  Courageous words considering the signators to this document, penned by Mr. James Madison of Virginia, had just signed their death warrant with King George III of England.

Yet, courage, adventure, optimism, and discovery were the attributes of the day.  It is no wonder that discoveries were made.  It is also no wonder that one of those discoveries would be made by a man across the ocean in a little town of Como Italy.

It is here that a young man named Alessandro Volta was born and began his scientific investigations.  He trained at the University of Pavia and continued his experimentation until his retirement in 1819.  Pavia is where Mr. Volta first conceptualized and later created the the Voltaic Pile, a stack of zinc and copper discs separated by cardboard soaked in saltwater.  Mr. Volta had just invented the battery.

Mr. Volta would continue with his discoveries and develop the laws of capacitance which is fundamental to the study and design of electronic circuits today.  Many great thinkers will build upon Mr. Volta’s discoveries as we shall see.

Building upon Mr. Volta’s discoveries were two men Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail, who in the 1830’s developed a telegraph system that used the inventions by Mr. Volta of the battery and switching.  Mr. Vail created an electromechanical device called a “sounder” or receiver.  The “sounder” would make a sound or click when a circuit was energized.  The sounder coupled with a Voltaic Pile (battery) and a switch (the key), would all be connected in a circuit so that when the key was depressed the sounder would make a noise.  Mr. Morse then created a code set that would equate the English alphabet to a series of sounds made by the sounder that corresponded with the depression of the key.

As time progressed, the invention by Morse and Vail was improved upon and the distances were increased from the 2 miles used initially to considerably longer distances.  The use of the telegraph quickly became indispensable to commerce.  In just 20 years the U.S. had telegraph networks spanning the nation and connecting major cities.

The next technological boom would come in the 1860’s.  In the North American continent, in the United States specifically, a civil war had broken out that would last four years from 1861 through 1865.  A conflict that would cost many lives and pit brother against brother over issues including slavery and states’ rights.

Just a year after the close of the Civil War in 1861 the first, of what would be many, transatlantic cables was laid to connect North America with Europe.  It would enable telegraphic communications between the continents and greatly reduce the time necessary to share information between them.

Commensurate with the outset of the Civil War Mr. James Clerk Maxwell, after photographing the Civil War with Mr. Matthew Brady, Was to perfect his processes of taking color photographs and present the first color photograph in 1861.  He pioneered and demonstrated the possibility of capturing and reproducing colors through photography.

In the geologic and botanical fields the discussions between scientists and touring lecturers were all about Natural Selection.  It seems the son of a theologian had made a voyage in 1831 on a ship named HMS Beagle with a British geologist named Charles Lyell.  Mr. Lyell developed a geological theory titled “Uniformitarianism” where geological processes that shaped the earth in the past could be explained by the same geological processes that operate in the present.  This idea of slow, gradual change over long time periods resonated with Mr. Darwin and formed the framework of Mr. Darwin’s theories pertaining to Natural Selection and the formation of biological species.  A book entitled “On the Origin of Species” was to come out of Mr. Darwin’s two decades of thought and subsequent lectures, it was all any reputable man of science and exploration could speak of in 1861.

Nearing the end of the decade in 1869 a Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev, was to assemble and present his periodic table of elements.  The table organized elements based on their atomic properties and arranged them in a way that revealed patterns and relationships.  Mendeleev’s periodic table formed the foundation of modern chemistry and provided a comprehensive framework for understanding the elements.

In keeping with other pioneers in the 1860’s a Scottish physicist by the name of James Clerk Maxwell formulated a set of equations which mathematically described the behavior of electromagnetic waves, including radio waves.  These formulated equations would later bear his name as “Maxwell’s equations”.  The equations Maxwell developed would lay the foundation for understanding radio frequency propagation and electromagnetic radiation.

It would be 20 years later that a German physicist named Heinrich Hertz conducted experiments to verify Mr. Maxwell’s equations.  Hertz successfully demonstrated the existence and properties of radio waves, including their generation, propagation, and reflection.  He used oscillating electrical circuits to generate and detect these waves travelling at the speed of light, paving the way for the practical application of radio frequency technology.

About the same time Mr. Nikola Tesla began to famously entertain gatherings of people with his ability to use electromagnetic energy to transfer power from his electrical oscillator to a receiving coil both tuned to the same resonant frequency.  By energizing the oscillator, Tesla could transmit electrical energy through the air and power devices connected to the receiving coil, without the need for traditional wired connections.  This demonstration showcased the potential for wireless power transfer, which was considered a remarkable feat at the time.

Building upon Mr. Hertz’ understanding of radio frequency technology, and Mr. Tesla’s proven ability to transmit radio frequency energy across a room, an Italian inventor and engineer by the name of Guglielmo Marconi would conduct research and development to eventually build a device to transmit and receive radio signals over increasing distances.  His work led to the establishment of long-distance wireless communication, marking the birth of radio technology.

It would take a floating iceberg, a pressured captain of a ship to make a deadline in New York, an arrogant ship builder placing too few lifeboats on the ship,  and 1,500 deaths to cause fundamental changes in the world’s use of radio frequencies.

The “unsinkable” Titanic left on April 19, 1912 from Southampton, UK on its’ maiden voyage to New York, USA.  Four days into the voyage in the early hours of the morning on April 14th the Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean.  As compartments below the waterline began flooding the captain ordered “abandon ship” and instructed the radio room to notify ships in close proximity to come to their assistance.

It was later discovered the lack of regulated frequencies and communications protocols hindered rescue efforts and contributed materially to the loss of life experienced by the sinking of the ship.  This discovery led to the Radio Act of 1912 which established the authority of the government of the United States to regulate radio communication and assign frequencies to different users.  The U.S. government now began to allocate and manage the RF spectrum to ensure interference-free communication and prevent chaotic usage of the limited frequency resources.

International agreements and organizations, such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), were also established to coordinate spectrum management between countries.  Over the years, the regulation of the RF spectrum has become more sophisticated and complex as technology has advanced and the demand for wireless communication has grown.  Governments continue to play a crucial role in allocating frequencies, setting technical standards, and enforcing regulations to ensure the optimal and coordinated use of the RF spectrum for various applications, including radio broadcasting, telecommunications, satellite communication, and wireless devices.

It is difficult to fully understand the scope of radio frequency use without seeing the full spectrum and the allocations that have been made.  Keep in mind that allocations are changing all the time.  unused frequencies are auctioned off to organizations for specific purposes.  older frequencies are abandoned for newer technologies that use less spectrum.  Older frequencies can be sold or re-used for other purposes.

The frequency bands and their allocations are continually changing.  These are some of the major frequency bands and their allocation purposes in the United States:

1. AM Radio: The AM (Amplitude Modulation) band occupies frequencies from approximately 530 kHz to 1700 kHz and is used for commercial and non-commercial AM radio broadcasting.
2. FM Radio: The FM (Frequency Modulation) band ranges from approximately 88 MHz to 108 MHz and is used for FM radio broadcasting.
3. Television Broadcasting: Television broadcasting in the United States uses VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) bands. The VHF band covers channels 2-13 (54 MHz to 216 MHz), and the UHF band covers channels 14-83 (470 MHz to 890 MHz).
4. Cellular and Mobile Communications: Frequencies for cellular and mobile communications are allocated in various bands, including the 700 MHz, 850 MHz, 1900 MHz, and 2100 MHz bands, among others.
5. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies operate in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.

These frequencies are in constant use with varying intensities. Depending on where someone is geographically locate they will be exposed to any number of carrier frequencies at varying power levels.  The entire U.S. population is continually bathed in a wide range of energy sources.  The radio frequency spectrum is a starting place to identify energy sources and their proximity to our living environment.

The environment in which we work and play is literally full of radio frequency energy.  The number of transmitters and receivers is staggering.  In addition to the devices that are purposed to be transmitters, there are sources of radio frequency energy that are not purposed to be transmitters.  Items like light bulbs, power cables, hair dryers, clothes irons, furnaces, air conditioners, electronic devices, clocks, solar cells, electric vehicles, radios, battery chargers, electric tooth brushes, etc.   Each of these devices generates radio frequency energy.

These are items that we come into contact with in our homes, that we have control over  We can, generally,  choose to turn on or off these devices.  There are even more devices that we come into contact with when we leave our homes and perform daily activities.  So, it is a reasonable question to ask if there are negative affects associated with all of the radio frequency energy that we encounter every day.

The Living Among the Waves series will continue with an exploration of microwaves and their impact on our lives.