In 2015, client Rodrige D.’s work with Environmental Electromagnetic Field (EMF) mitigation prompted us to write a short article on the issue. Recently he told us about “We Are The Evidence”, an organization concerned with EMF Sensitivity and the threats of EMF Fields. Founder and director Dafna Tachover was in town and he offered to set up an interview with her. Of course, we jumped at the chance. As we were deciding what to pass along to you from our several hours of discussion we kept running into a fundamental question… EMF, its effects, and the solutions are controversial even within the scientific community. How do we, or anyone else, know whether a scientific concept is strongly established enough to take action on it? 
How does anyone determine if an issue is vapor or a real threat? We may not have a definitive answer for you, but we hope you’ll find value in our search…
Two or three centuries ago it was at least theoretically possible for one person to ‘know’ almost everything in all fields of knowledge. The exponential expansion of knowledge now means a lifetime of education to probe the frontiers of any one field and necessarily ignoring the rest. No matter how much of an expert anyone is in their particular field, they’re an idiot in most of the rest and there’s no choice but to rely on other people to fill the gaps.
As a painfully relevant example, an auto shop may be spectacularly qualified to fix your car and still completely unqualified to render judgement on science or medicine. EMF field pollution and sensitivity are big issues but they’re complex and unproven. They have implications for societal change and improvement if true and equal potential for scaremongering and damage if not. How do we know whether we’re telling you about dangerous new health risks, or passing on mindless dismissals from corporate Quislings? Indeed, if we’re going to write about any subject outside our expertise, how do we know we’re providing any value at all?
The best answer is we don’t know, and since we choose not to pretend we do, that became the basis for this article. Our dilemma strikes every person every day, whether they realize it or not- how do we form lucid opinions on issues when we have no choice but to rely on others? We’ll tell you what we learned about EMF, what some of the arguments against it are, and what some of the fixes might be, and hopefully that will be valuable. But the biggest value of this article might be an exploration of how anyone makes evaluations about anything at all…
The annoying process of science
Science doesn’t tell us what’s true. It tells us what’s NOT true, and we build our reality from what’s left. As science progresses it uses what it ‘knows’ from the past to learn about the present and future. It’s a process we’ve seen play out many times but it IS a process, not an event… there’s no ‘finish line’ where something gets declared objectively, scientifically ‘true’.
Consensus on such things as geocentrism, atomic theory, germ theory, and relativity theory is so strong that we laugh at the cranks who go against them, but they were each crackpot ideas when introduced and new facts and understanding of reality could change any or all of these ‘truths’ at any time. All scientific ideas have a provisional doubt that fades (never completely) as evidence accumulates. Smoking is known to cause cancer even through there was ‘doubt’ for decades, and thalidomide is gone even though it was once thought to be safe. But other ideas are still going through the process. Evolution and climate change are about as well-understood as any other scientific theories, but there are still loud doubters. Anti-vaxxers still protest though science has examined and rejected their claims. Fluoridation may be viewed with suspicion but little evidence of actual damage. Still other ideas seem to have some legitimacy, but no definitive explanations. What about 9/11 illness, Gulf War syndrome, GMOs, DU Birth defects, Cuban embassy headaches, or a litany of other issues? We keep exploring and testing, trying to find the diamonds in the glass.
Science controversies past and present, Steve Sherwood in Physics Today, Oct 2011
Scientific Advances & Paradigm Shifts in Scientific Theories, David Wood on Study.com
Science denialism politics – vaccines, GMOs, evolution, climate change, Skeptical Raptor, Oct 2017
Scientific Controversies as Proxy Politics, Daniel Hicks on Issues in Science and Technology, Winter 2017
God Versus the Neutrino, video by AntiCitizenX, Jul 2010
Unknown Unknowns: The Problem of Hypocognition, by Daidi Wu and David Dunning in Scientific American, Aug 2018
The Road to Pseudoscientific Thinking, Julia Shaw in Scientific American, Jan 2017
Spurious Correlations, Tyler Vigen on TylerVigen.com
20 years ago, a doctor published a study. It was completely made up, and it made us all sicker
What are the basics of EMF Sensitivity?
EMF Sensitivity seems to be beyond the beginning of scientific evaluation, but not yet to the point of consensus. EMF is electromagnetic radiation, the waves of energy from normal phenomenon. It covers everything from low energy radio waves, through visible light, and on through high-energy x-rays and gamma rays. EMF is nothing new; we’re bathed in a sea of it from the moment we’re conceived from sources like the sun, the Earth’s magnetic field, lightning, and more. In our modern world EMF comes from electrical devices like cell phones, wi-fi, cell towers and antennas, tablets, cordless phones, wireless “smart meters”, powerlines, appliances, and imbalanced home wiring among other sources.
While EMF is radiation, it’s not the same as radiation from sources like uranium or plutonium. We now understand that radiation from these substances causes damage at a cellular level when high-energy particles knock out other particles in the cell’s nucleus, sending a “free radical” out to damage the cell and cause a chain reaction. While EMF seems to be connected to a variety of tumors and cancers, it seems unlikely it could cause these problems through the same mechanism as classical radiation… the EMF waves just don’t have enough energy to disturb the cellular particles.
Radiation Sources and Doses, US Environmental Protection Agency website
Electromagnetic Sensitivity, Website from Environmental Health Trust
Electromagnetic Fields And Public Health, Backgrounder from World Health Organization, Dec 2005
What are the effects of EMF sickness?
Surveys conducted through 2006 indicate that 10% of the population was suffering from EMF sickness. Symptoms of exposure vary according to individual susceptibility, duration and frequency of the exposure, and intensity of the source. Symptoms range from mild to severe, from acute to chronic, and can include headache, tingling in the hands and legs, pain in the head and ears when using a cell phone, cognitive problems, brain fog, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, sleep disturbances, exhaustion, tinnitus, nose bleeds, dizziness, and nausea.
Beyond symptomology there is evidence of physical damage. The fullest review to date of the scientific studies on EMF harm comes from the 2012 Bio-Initiave Report, but studies are uncovering specific mechanisms of harm. A 2015 study conducted on about 700 people with ES symptoms indicated serious physiological damage to the blood-brain barrier, hypothalamus and immune system, as well as neurodegeneration. A 2016 US Government study found EMF caused both tumors in glial cells in the brain as well as malignant schwannoma of the heart. Additional studies have confirmed these as well as general increase in cancers and tumors in the larger population. EMF has also been implicated in sperm damage, autism, and ADHD & behavior disorders. New research on EMF and its causes is ongoing; just as we were finishing this article we found a new study linking EMF to cancer in rats.
We Are The Evidence- Wireless Technology Injured Advocacy Group, website by Dafna Tachover
What Is Electromagnetic Sensitivity? WeAreTheEvidence website
A Scientist Explains What It’s Really Like To Live With EMF Sensitivity, Rachel Straub on MindBodyGreen,
What’s the deeper story on EMF sickness?
The subject of EMF Sensitivity seems to be near the start of the scientific investigation process. A growing number of people are reporting a range of symptoms that seem to be strongly correlated with EM fields. However, the causative links necessary for a complete explanation have not been found.
Science Says Wi-Fi Allergies Are Fake—But People Are Still Sick, Chris Stokel-Walker in Newsweek, Jun 2018
Dafna Tachover Testimony on Michigan House Energy Policy video, 05/29/18
Wireless Wake-Up Call, video by Jeromy Johnson, TEDxBerkeley, Feb 2016
Is EMF Pollution The Next Health Risk To Watch For? Tom Dwyer Automotive Newsletter, Sep 2015
Is Your New Phone (Apple iPhone, Perhaps) Cancer Causing, Too? Jess Root on TreeHugger, Feb 2010
EM Watch- Electomagnetic Radiation Health and Safety Website
WeAreTheEvidence Website
Safest Level Of Alcohol Consumption Is None, Worldwide Study Shows, Joel Achenbach in Washington Post, Aug 2018
Alzheimer’s Study Sparks New Debate Over Amyloid Hypothesis, Damian Garde and Andrew Joseph on KQED Science, Jul 2018
Critiques of EMF research
There’s lots of research on EMF to date with more on the way, and of course there’s critiques of all the research. As with the EMF research itself, some is good and some is bad. Most of the good critique comes in the form of “you haven’t demonstrated causality” which is critical before EMF can be diagnosed, treated, or prevented. That can be a solid critique, but goes too far when it continues in to “therefore there is no problem.” Not knowing the causality is not the same as there not being causality.
Do High Voltage Power Lines Cause Cancer? Steven Salzberg on Forbes, Sep 2014
Critique of “Risk of Brain Tumors from Wireless Phone Use” by Lorne Trottier on ScienceBasedMedicine, Feb 2011
Review of Studies Concerning Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Exposure Assessment in Europe: Low Frequency Fields (50 Hz–100 kHz), Irena Cosic in US National Library of Medicine, Sep 2016
Some of the bad comes from industry groups poo-pooing possible threats to their businesses. It’s not enough to assume results are biased because they were industry-funded, but history and human nature have taught us to treat such research with suspicion.
A Group Suggested Pregnant Women Can Drink. It’s Funded By The Alcohol Industry. Kristine Phillips in Washington Post, Aug 2018
Jury Awards Terminally Ill Man $289 Million In Lawsuit Against Monsanto, Vanessa Romo on NPR, Aug 2018
Coca-Cola Is Funding Controversial Research That Claims Bad Diets Don’t Cause Obesity, IFLScience
Coffee Does Not Merit Cancer Warning Label Ordered in California, FDA Says, Sasha Ingber on KQED News, Aug 2018
Big Nutrition Research Scandal Sees 6 More Retractions, Purging Popular Diet Tips, Beth Mole on ARSTechnica, Sep 2018
One final point on critiquing EMF or any other subject… a critique must actually reflect the content of the material under review. Dr. Joel Moskowitz did a wonderful chart showing the “spin” of a National Institute of Health report on cellphone radiation…
What you can do… and not do
There’s strong evidence that EMF causes health problems, but not yet definitive proof. How should we, societally or individually, act in the face of unproven threats? We could overreact and panic, shutting down wireless technology altogether or locking ourselves in mobile Faraday cages to block EMF completely, on the possibility that EMF is dangerous. A more appropriate societal response may have to wait for clearer science and on cooperation between companies and nations, but there are very simple steps we can take as individuals in the meantime to protect ourselves without giving up the 21st century technology we love.
What you SHOULD do
These are simple, common-sense solutions that seemed common across all sources. They’re either cheap or free, and will definitely reduce the EMF from point-sources
- Limit exposure to EMF when possible
- Switch off EMF-generating devices whenever possible
- Move furniture as far away as possible from EMF sources
- Replace wireless devices with wired alternatives
- Use corded headphones instead of BlueTooth headsets
- Use shielded, grounded extension cords
If you think EMF is a more critical problem for you personally there are more in-depth solutions. These may involve an evaluation of your home or work to determine sources of EMF you’re personally exposed to.
Protect Your Family from EMF Pollution, EMF Analysis Website by Jeromy Johnson
10 Ways to Protect Yourself from EMF Exposure, Devin Byrne on NaturallySavvy, Apr 2009
EWG’s (Environmental Working Group’s) Guide to Safer Cell Phone Use
Zapped: Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn’t Be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Ways to Outsmart the Hazards of Electronic Pollution, Ann Louise Gittleman, Oct 2011
Healthy Spaces Now Website
What you MIGHT do
EMF-protectant cloth is available, as blankets or ready-made clothing. A shield will work to stop most emissions from one direction but does nothing to stop the EMF coming in from other directions. Nevertheless, it might be helpful in blunting EMF from devices like laptops.
Does Belly Armor Block Pregnant Women from Radiation? Sara Novak on Treehugger, Feb 2012
Radiation Proof Clothing Fails To Protect Mums To Be Says Chinese Scientist, Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, Oct 2018
What you SHOULDN’T do
Since the science and threat are ill-defined, there are inevitably hucksters out there selling snake oil to solve it. While there is the philosophical possibility these gadgets may work we’re gonna go out on a limb and say there is no theory, extrapolation from theory, or even rumored hypothesis that would enable these things to have any effect on EMF pollution. Things like these are as effective as rabbits’ feet… don’t get suckered.
- BioShields–
“This Bio Shield comes in the form of an attractive pendant which can be worn around your neck. Designed as a personal EMF shield the pendant encases a special matrix of crystals which refract a wide spectrum of EMF Frequencies.” - EMF Blues– “While most EMF Protection Devices on the market are aimed at blocking or shielding
EMFs, Crystal Catalyst® Resonators go one step further! These ceramic resonators harmonize electromagnetic frequencies so they are no longer harmful to your body. This makes them powerful EMF Protection Devices AND Life Energy Enhancers.” - Waverider EMF blocker– “The WaveRider mitigates the harmful effects of man-made
EMR from all our devices and alters the pattern to mimic a more natural “white noise” type of wave that the human body can tolerate… without changing the actual structure of the EMF.” (and it’s a steal at only $997)
What if I just don’t give a damn?
If you’ve lived this long without developing EMF sensitivity, it’s either complete BS or you have a high enough tolerance that it hasn’t affected you. If it’s BS there’s obviously nothing to worry about. If it’s not, your tolerance may not protect you. Aging increases sensitivities to environmental factors so the level that didn’t make you sick today could cripple you tomorrow. But also, the amount of EMF you’re exposed to is about to increase. The new 5G standard for wireless is already being built, and the experiment will be run on us all. Whether we give a damn or not.
Electronic Stickers To Streamline Large-Scale ‘Internet Of Things’, Purdue University, Jul 2018
5G Is Almost Here — Here’s How Everyone’s Getting Ready, Chaim Gartenberg on The Verge, Sep 2018
Was this article useful at all?
If you’ve never heard of EMF Sensitivity we hope we gave you a reasonable introduction. If you’re well aware of the issue you probably have strong feelings one way or the other, and even if we didn’t change your mind maybe we gave you a look at the thoughts of “the other side”. If you’re on the fence, wondering whether EMF is something to worry about or ignore, but ready to learn and form a reasonable response, we hope this was most useful to you. We live in a world where both solid and absurd proposals are thrown at us all the time. Few of us have the time, training, or resources to confidently make good decisions, but people with the same (or worse) qualifications are lined up to eagerly and confidently tell us what the truth is whether they know it or not. In a world of confusion, spin, and provisional truth, one of the most important tools is the ability to recognize our own ignorance. But if you’re not willing to stop there, if you want to do the deep thought necessary for conclusions that work, we hope it’s reassuring to know there are still ignorant people out there thrashing along with you. Good luck to us all!
