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EMFacts Blog

    • 07 FEB 23

    The assumption of safety is being used to justify the rollout of 5G technologies

    Excerpt: The advent of fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication introduces new technology utilizing near-millimeter radiofrequency waves [i.e., with a frequency of 30–300 GHz (mmWaves)]. The long-term effects of these signals on humans and the environment are unknown. Scientific literature reviews investigating biological harm from mmWave usage have concluded … no in-depth conclusions can be drawn…[(1), p. 16] and no confirmed evidence [(2), p. 601]. Unfortunately, these statements of scientific uncertainty have been used by industry and government advisory bodies to reassure the public of the safety of the 5G rollout. However, the assumption that 5G technologies are safe is not an evidence-based conclusion (3). Why this is so cannot be easily understood from existing summaries or reviews (4). Therefore, this article takes one step back from reviews to the original papers, so as to provide a visible overview of the existing mmWave evidence base. It then examines how the science is being conducted and communicated, finding errors in reasoning that cloud judgements and the subsequent conclusions drawn from the existing research….. SNIP.

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    • 24 JAN 23

    Coming soon: Australian Podcast interview with Prof Dariusz Leszczynski

    Notice from Dariusz Leszczynski, Jan 19, 2023 (Message re-sent)

    It is coming in the first week of February…(February 1, 2023 at 10AM Brisbane time)

    It is a long interview (1.5 hours total recorded on October 18, 2022) on wireless radiation, health, safety guidelines, and precautions. In this rather long podcast, which feels more like a monologue, I have presented my opinions on some of the aspects of wireless- and 5G-related health concerns. As you will see in the end, there are many issues that I had not time to speak about… Maybe another time?

    Link to the podcast will be provided soon…

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    • 20 DEC 22

    WHO Names RF Working Group

    From Louis Slesin, Editor of Microwave News

    Excerpt:

    The World Health Organization in Geneva is gearing up to update its 30-year-old document on the health effects of RF radiation. It’s called the Environmental Health Criteria and will dictate WHO policy on wireless radiation for the foreseeable future. Last week, the agency announced who will sit on an influential panel that will help decide what the document says. These are the people who’ll tell you whether cell phone radiation causes cancer or infertilitI asked three years ago, “Will WHO Kick Its ICNIRP Habit?” Now we know the answer – “Nope.”…..Read on

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    • 17 DEC 22

    Reflections on a Russian Neverland

    Excerpt: In September 2004 I was fortunate enough to receive funding to attend a Russian International Conference, titled: Mobile Communications and Health: Medical, Biological and Social Problems. It was held in Moscow and was attended by a wide range of international scientists including researchers from the USA, Great Britain, Europe, Ukraine, Poland and Australia. Russia was represented by The Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (RNCNIRP), The Russian Academy of Science, and The Russian Academy of Medical Science.

    What was interesting about the research papers presented at the 3 day conference was the high quality of the biological research that had been carried out by Russian and former Eastern Bloc scientists – and that was a high point of the conference. However, much of this research seemed to be largely a product of the past, before the break up of the former Soviet Union.

    As part of the conference we were taken to a Moscow based research institute which was to showcase Russia’s research activities. The building itself was built in the 1960s and was designed to be an impressive structure, but after some 50 years use it was in poor condition from an obvious a lack of maintenance. Upon arrival we had to use a side entrance as the large main doors had fallen off their hinges due to rust and were being hastily repaired by a construction crew. Not a good first impression….SNIP

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    • 10 DEC 22

    How low can Ericsson go? Getting the Girl Scouts to flog 5G and the IoT.

    Excerpt: The Girl Scouts’ Latest Business Project: Hailing 5G Cellphone Technology

    Beyond developing their camping skills, participating in a food drive to aid the hungry and donating pajamas for seniors, Girl Scouts across America this year were offered a new way to earn a special uniform patch: learning about the wonders of 5G cellphone technology and, in some cases, promoting it.

    The opportunity came courtesy of Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications giant, which sponsored the “Ericsson Limited Edition 5G & IoT” (Internet of Things) patch program. The program, still available on at least one Girl Scout website, targets all age levels, from Daisies (kindergarten-age Scouts) to Ambassadors (those in high school), with an array of activities intended to “introduce Girl Scouts to 5G and the Internet of Things.”…SNIP

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    • 30 NOV 22

    Astronomers Worldwide Troubled by New [5G] ‘Cell Phone Towers in Space’

    Excerpt: … It isn’t just Bluewalker 3 that concerns astronomers, but rather the fact it serves as a test model for a constellation of over 100 so-called Bluebirds the company aims to launch as part of its plan to build a network of satellites to provide 5G connectivity from orbit to Earth — “cell phone towers in space,” as the IAU describes them….SNIP

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    • 27 NOV 22

    ORSAA’s new publication is a comment on the ARPANSA 2021 paper

    Latest ORSAA paper: Comment on “5G mobile networks and health-a state-of-the-science review of the research into low-level RF fields above 6 GHz” by Karipidis et al.

    This paper is open access, so that you can download it from the link below….SNIP

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    • 24 NOV 22

    No biological science behind mobile phone safety testing

    Excerpt: From Joel M. Moskowitz:
    A leading expert, Professor Om Gandhi, blames the inadequacies of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) safety standard and the Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin (SAM) model used to test cell phones on industry and military engineers who dominated the IEEE standard setting meetings. He discusses the dangers of 5G radiation.

    Meet the man whose research inspired the SAM campaign. Om P. Gandhi, Emeritus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering with the University of Utah, taught courses on biological effects of antennas, RF and microwave electromagnetic fields for over 50 years.

    Prof. Om P. Gandhi is a world expert on how mobile phone radiation penetrates the human brain. Once a consultant to major cell phone companies, Gandhi now refuses to work with them. SNIP…….

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    • 11 NOV 22

    How the FCC Shields Cellphone Companies From Safety Concerns

    Excerpts from this major exposé of the FCC’s negligence and complicity with the telecom industry

    “Orsi and the Pittsfield board decided to try to do something about Verizon’s tower. They quickly discovered that they would get no help from federal regulators. The Federal Communications Commission, which has responsibility for protecting Americans from potential radiation hazards generated by wireless transmitters and cellphones, has repeatedly sided with the telecom industry in denying the possibility of virtually any human harm.”

    “But it was a signal of a growing fear – other cities have fought cell sites only to be forced to back down – and evidence of a striking shoulder-to-shoulder partnership between a federal agency and the industry it is supposed to regulate. The build-out of a new generation of wireless networks, known as 5G, is amping up the stakes of this conflict for localities across America. It will require an estimated 800,000 new base stations, including both towers and densely spaced “small cell” transmitters mounted on rooftops and street poles. That means nearly tripling the current number of transmitters, and many of them will be placed close to houses and apartments.”…SNIP

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    • 28 OCT 22

    A cosmic risk for the future of our digital civilization (University of Queensland study)

    Excerpt: What is a Miyake Event? – its more like a cosmic explosion that may last weeks, months, or even years. They have demonstrated in the UQ study that they are not associated with solar flares. They are huge bursts of cosmic radiation, and have occurred approximately once every thousand years but what causes them is not yet clear. The 993-994 CE spike was a rapid increase in carbon-14 content from tree rings, and followed the 774-775 CE carbon-14 spike.

    What happened in 774 CE? In the year 774 an enormously powerful blast of matter and energy from space slammed into Earth. The worst recorded solar storm in history was the 1859 solar storm, better known as the Carrington Event. It was powerful enough to cause sparks and fires in telegraph machines and caused power grid failures. The 774 event was so powerful that the storm started multiple forest fires. A study published in Nature journal where a group of Japanese researchers analysed tree ring data to find out about the existence of this ‘solar storm’. According to it, this particular event took place between 774-775 CE. It is estimated that its intensity was 10 times higher than the Carrington event. The evidence was found in Cedar trees in Japan which all show a huge spike in carbon-14. SNIP……….

    THE UQ STUDY

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    • 18 OCT 22

    New Paper: Wireless Technology Not Adequately Assessed for Hazards to Human Health and Environment

    Excerpt: TUCSON, AZ – October 18, 2022 – The International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) is challenging the safety of current wireless exposure limits to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and is calling for an independent evaluation.

    Published today in the journal Environmental Health, “Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G,” demonstrates how the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have ignored or inappropriately dismissed hundreds of scientific studies documenting adverse health effects at exposures below the threshold dose claimed by these agencies, which was used to establish human exposure limits. The authors argue that the threshold, based on science from the 1980s – before cell phones were ubiquitous — is wrong, and these exposure limits based on this threshold do not adequately protect workers, children, people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and the public from exposure to the nonionizing radiation from wireless data transmission….SNIP

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    • 16 OCT 22

    Microsoft goggles left soldiers with headaches and nausea during tests

    EXCERPT:

    Bloomberg News

    U.S. soldiers using Microsoft Corp.’s new goggles in their latest field test suffered “mission-affecting physical impairments” including headaches, eyestrain and nausea, according to a summary of the exercise compiled by the Pentagon’s testing office. More than 80% of those who experienced discomfort had symptoms after less than three hours using the customized version of Microsoft’s HoloLens goggles, Nickolas Guertin, director of Operation Test and Evaluation, said in a summary for Army and Defense Department officials. He said the system also is still experiencing too many failures of essential functions. The problems found in the testing in May and June were outlined in a 79-page report this month. The Army marked it “Controlled Unclassified Information” to prevent public distribution, but Bloomberg News obtained a summary.

    Despite the device’s flaws, Guertin doesn’t deem it a lost cause. He recommended that the Army “prioritize improvements” before widespread deployment to reduce the “physical discomfort of users.” He said improvements are also needed to the goggle’s low-light sensors, display clarity, field of vision and poor reliability of some essential functions. On the positive side: The latest model’s reliability has improved for a key metric – the mean time between failures that render the whole system inoperable, according to the report. Leaders and soldiers also reported that the latest version “enhanced navigation and coordination of unit movements,” Guertin wrote. Microsoft’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS, is expected to provide a “heads-up display” for U.S. ground forces, similar to those for fighter pilots. It would let commanders project information onto a visor in front of a soldier’s face and would include features such as night vision. The Army projects spending as much as $21.9 billion over a decade on the goggles, spare parts and support services if all options are exercised. The test results will be closely assessed by lawmakers as they decide whether to approve $424.2 million the Army proposed to spend on the program this fiscal year. The House and Senate appropriations panels separately proposed deep cuts to the Army’s request pending the outcome of the testing….SNIP

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    • 27 SEP 22

    The New Hampshire State House Subcommittee of the Science, Technology, and Energy Committee has voted for further policy action regarding the issue of radio-frequency radiation. (WiFi)

    Excerpt: New Hampshire lawmakers voted to recommend action on the issue of wireless radio-frequency (RF) radiation. This is a historic action by New Hampshire legislatures and will result in the proposal of new statewide legislation addressing cell towers and wireless networks….. “The majority of animal and cell studies have found non-ionizing RFR can induce oxidative stress- a key characteristic of human carcinogens and a way that RFR can initiate or promote tumor development as well as play a role in the development of other diseases. DNA damage and cancer in these state of the art studies signal the need for the public to reduce exposures to RFR now.”…SNIP

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    • 06 SEP 22

    Expert critique on the “Psychology Today” article “Tin Foil Hats: Tired Trope or Sign of the Times”

    Letter from Kent Chamberlin PhD, Professor & Chair Emeritus, to Kaja Perina, Editor-in-Chief, Psychology Today

    Excerpt

    I am writing to provide comment on an article that was recently published in your magazine entitled “Tin Foil Hats: Tired Trope or Sign of the Times?” by Joe Pierre. I am providing my comments as a representative of a state commission that was tasked with exploring the health and environmental effects of wireless radiation, and not as a single individual. Because the findings of that commission form the basis for my comments, I will provide a brief overview of the commission here. The commission I served on was convened through bipartisan legislation (House Bill 522, 2019) that was passed by both houses of the New Hampshire legislature and signed by the Governor. The intention of the legislation was to bring together unbiased experts in fields relating to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation to address questions and concerns about the ever-growing number of radiofrequency radiation sources. Citizens and legislators were looking for answers as to why the telecommunications industry was claiming that wireless communications radiation posed no harm at all, while a clear majority of scientists identified significant harm from exposure. SNIP

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    • 12 AUG 22

    Dramatic results after school’s mobile phone ban

    Excerpt: There has been a dramatic decrease in behavioural issues, and a boost in physical activity among students at a Sydney High School after mobile phones were banned. Every day students in years 7 to 10 at Davidson High School put their phone in a pouch that, once closed, cannot be opened without breaking the lock. “Classrooms have effectively become phone free and this has allowed staff to focus on educating students,” principal David Rule said in a school newsletter. “In eight weeks of the policy there has been a 90 per cent reduction in behavioural issues related to phones in the school.” SNIP…

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    • 27 JUL 22

    Trade publication, Professional Pilot Magazine on 5G

    Excerpt:

    Recently, we tried to cut through the babble about 5G, look at actual data, and figure out how troublesome it really is for aviation. (See Pro Pilot, April 2022, p 8). Since then, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has doubled down on blaming its victims, ordering avionics makers to bring their “defective” radar altimeters up to a standard of signal discrimination required in no other country. However, that is not our topic here. This time, we will look at what electromagnetic fields (EMFs) may be doing – not to your equipment, but to you….SNIP

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    • 21 JUL 22

    The Odious Smell of Truth (Microwave News)

    From Louis Slesin
    Why does confusion reign over RF/microwave radiation health risks?
    Don’t blame the public. Much of the misinformation comes from top experts in the field.
    One of those responsible is Martin Röösli, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Basel in Switzerland. And yes, he is a long-time member of ICNIRP.

    Röösli serves on a number of other committees, including those that advise the German, Swedish and Swiss governments. He also sits on the editorial boards of Biolelectromagnetics and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

    If you want to understand why we need change, please read my latest story….SNIP

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    • 06 JUL 22

    German court finds property owners can be liable for health impacts from base station antennas on their property

    Excerpt: From the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation

    Google translation:

    A German court has clarified in a lawsuit that property owners who rent space for base stations and mobile towers assume responsibility for health consequences of the activity. Although the radiation is lower than the relevant reference values from the authorities, this does not mean that the property owner is not responsible for negative health consequences. According to Björn Gillberg, the same responsibility principles also apply in Sweden…SNIP

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    • 11 MAY 22

    Teenage smart phone addiction (Washington Post)

    Excerpt:

    “I’ll never buy a smartphone for any of my children,” she says.

    It’s a personal stance born of professional experiences. Stacey is a psychiatrist who works primarily with high school and college students in Fayetteville, Ark., and in her practice she routinely asks new patients to swipe open their phones and show her how much screen time they’re clocking per day. …Stacey is a hard-liner in a war being waged in homes everywhere as grown-ups attempt to limit smartphone use that they believe can be harmful to kids, even as they struggle to establish healthy habits with their own phones. And, big surprise, the parents aren’t winning. Because it’s not just their children they’re up against, but also a tech industry pushing products that insiders say are designed to be addictive and a society that has largely capitulated to the norms and urges and expectations all those phones and apps have created.

    Even when it comes to kids. Fifty-three percent of American children have a smartphone of their own by age 11, according to a 2019 report by Common Sense Media. By the time they’re 16, 89 percent of kids have one. An earlier report by Common Sense Media found that 50 percent of teenagers felt addicted to their smartphones and that 59 percent of their parents thought that was the case. All of this has coincided with a startling increase in mental health challenges among adolescents, which some psychologists believe might be tied to the adverse effects of social media use.

    As Stacey sits with young patients who are grappling with anxiety or depression or lack of focus and can’t fathom cutting back their smartphone use, a single thought tends to run through her head: “This is so stupid, that these little devices are controlling these kids.” SNIP

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    • 24 APR 22

    5G is a joke and the iPhone is the well-timed punchline

    Excerpt:

    Apple may have been late to the 5G party but the party was lame anyway.

    Have you heard of these nothing burgers? Apparently, they make the entire burger from absolutely nothing. The Macalope doesn’t know how they do it and still make a profit. It’s crazy.

    Which brings us to 5G.

    You remember 5G, right? It’s the thing on your phone you hardly notice, except when it’s draining your battery for no good reason. A little over a year ago The Verge reported the 5G situation (and before you say it, “The 5G Situation” is a terrible band name) thusly:

    …what we have now is widespread 5G that’s more or less the same speed as (or even slower than) 4G and super-fast mmWave 5G in some parts of some major cities with highly limited range.

    A year later, it’s not much better.

    Tim Bray recently collected some anecdotal evidence (tip o’ the antlers to John Gruber) about peoples’ reaction to 5G and it’s a symphony in the key of middling. His conclusion. It’s perfectly possible that, ten years from now, we’ll look in the rear-view and say “[5G] was a good investment.” I wouldn’t bet on it, but it’s possible. The modest and spotty improvements brought by 5G might be fine, but as The Wall Street Journal reported, 5G also drains your battery like it’s mining bitcoin on your phone in the background.

    It’s probably not really doing that. Right? …..SNIP

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