Is 5G safe for our health?
The impact of radio waves on human health is quite a controversial topic. Researchers recently pointed to the fact that all international organizations strongly support the development of 5G networks, but forget about research into the impact of new technology on our health. Are we not forgetting about our health in the pursuit of faster mobile Internet? Tema is not new, but this time we are dealing with extremely high frequencies that have not yet been used on a large scale.
In the 1990s, the local population quite often boycotted the creation of new base stations due to concerns about their health. However, 2G GSM, 3G UMTS or 4G LTE technologies use much lower frequencies than those to be used in 5G NR (New Radio – New Radio). What’s the problem? The higher the radio wave, the more it is suppressed by the obstacles and the power of the signal that reaches the receiver drops faster. This means that the radius of a 5G network cell will be much smaller than for example LTE, so operators will have to install more base stations.
In 5G technology, we think about using frequencies such as 28 GHz, 36 GHz or even 60 GHz.
This is the so-called millimeter band, which is characterized by the fact that radio waves of this frequency penetrate the depth of the skin. We do not know what the effects of long-term exposure to such radiation will be. It is true that 5G antennas working at such high frequencies will work with little power, but they will be close to us. Engineers are already thinking about complicated installations and the integration of small 5G antennas with lighting systems. It is estimated that, for example, in such a shopping center, 5G antennas working on 60 GHz frequency will be placed every several dozen meters.
It is now believed that a mobile phone is more harmful to human health than the base station working in the area. The problem is that our smartphones radiate radiate a much stronger signal than the one that reaches us from the antenna base station. Additionally, during the conversation, we put the phone directly to the head, so part of the radiation is absorbed by our body. It has been known for a long time that talking over a mobile phone results in an increase in the temperature of the brain. As for 5G, this network will be used mainly for data transmission, so the device (eg a tablet) will be kept not by the head but in the hands, which gives a safe distance. However, in some solutions, like at the planned Olympics in Korea, we think about placing the 5G microwave antennas just above the fans’ heads. That’s right, at the Olympic stadium in Korea there will be a 5G antenna above each seat. Is it safe?
Studies conducted by the National Toxicology Program suggest a relationship between electromagnetic radiation and cancer.
This was a large-scale, multiannual research on rats that were exposed to radiation similar to that of mobile phone users. Such results are disturbing, but they should not lead to a boycott of new technologies. The 5G standard is developed to minimize human exposure to the effects of the electromagnetic field. This is not done only for our health, but also the performance of the system. Man for a 5G signal is an obstacle that suppresses it, or slows down the transmission. Therefore, the new generation devices are designed in such a way that the largest possible amount of energy radiates towards the antenna of the base station, not the user. However, there has still not been enough research to determine whether the emerging technology will have no negative effect on our health. Scientists have no evidence that 5G networks will be harmful to us, but they are also not convinced of their harmlessness.
