Exploding the Myth

 

There’s a story that you sometimes hear that goes like this: wireless radiation can’t cause health problems because it’s not ionising radiation, which is known to damage DNA and cause cancer.

How lovely it would be if that were true! But it’s not—and this is why.

Firstly, let’s take a closer look at what ionising radiation actually is. Physicist Vic Leach explains that ‘ionising radiation—such as X-rays and Gammaλ rays—has wavelengths that are a billion times smaller than those used for wireless communication. And they’re the same size as atoms, which means that they interact with atoms, dislodging electrons in their orbit and creating ionised molecules in air and tissue. Hence the label “ionising” radiation.’

On the other hand, non-ionising radiation—such as ultraviolet (UV) light, mobile phone radiation, WiFi and 5G—doesn’t have enough energy to knock electrons off atoms. However, this does not mean it’s safe. There are other ways that non-ionising radiation can interact with atoms and cause damage such as cancer. Take UV light, for example. We know that it causes skin cancer.

There’s a large body of scientific evidence that wireless radiation, even though it’s non-ionising, can, in fact, cause both DNA damage and, most likely, cause cancer.

  • In 2011 the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified radiofrequency radiation as a Class 2B (possible) carcinogen and since that time much more evidence linking it to cancer has been found, including data from animal experiments such as the $30 million dollar US National Toxicology Program and the Ramazzini Institute Italian study

  • An Italian court proclaimed that a plaintiff’s brain tumour, a rare nerve tumour similar to those seen in animal studies, was caused by his mobile phone use.

  • A recent review by Y Choi found that 17 minutes of mobile phone use a day over a ten-year period increased a person’s risk of developing tumours by 60%. 

  • A recent review by Professor Henry Lai, found wireless radiation damaged genes. 

  • Wireless radiation causes "oxidative stress" which indirectly creates DNA damage, a precursor to cancer.

You’ll be able to see more evidence that wireless radiation is harmful in our regular newsletter ‘EMR and Health’ (see link below).

So next time you hear someone tell you that wireless radiation is safe because it’s not ionising radiation, you will know they are not familiar with the science on this issue.

For more information see article by Professor Denis Henshaw

What can you do?

Limit your exposure wireless radiation:

What else you can do

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