6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body

Power Line EMF Research

ELF Magnetic Fields

Research on extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields from high-voltage transmission lines and distribution lines.

922
Studies
85%
Showed Bioeffects
1
EMF Type
50/60
Hz

About Power Lines EMF

  • -Every time you flip a light switch or plug in an appliance, you're tapping into an electrical grid that requires power lines to carry electricity from power plants to your home.
  • -These overhead and underground transmission lines create extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields as electricity flows through them - and unlike the electric fields that walls can block, these magnetic fields pass right through buildings, cars, and human tissue.
  • -While power companies have long maintained these fields pose no health risks, our database contains 476 peer-reviewed studies on ELF magnetic field exposure, with 87% finding measurable biological effects.

Every time you flip a light switch or plug in an appliance, you're tapping into an electrical grid that requires power lines to carry electricity from power plants to your home. These overhead and underground transmission lines create extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields as electricity flows through them - and unlike the electric fields that walls can block, these magnetic fields pass right through buildings, cars, and human tissue.

Related Studies (922)

Whole Body / General

Information Profile - Magnetic Fields

Science Information Services Department · 1978

The profile surveyed biological effects of magnetic fields on organisms from microorganisms to humans. Very low and very high magnetic fields produced more pronounced effects than intensities near the natural geomagnetic field. Human studies reported flicker-fusion threshold depression at near-zero fields, perception changes at 5-10 G, and magnetophosphenes with altered blood iron and copper at 100-400 G. The United States had no governmental exposure standards, while the Soviet Union set limits at 300 G for whole-body and 700 G for hands.

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Whole Body / General

Information Profile - Magnetic Fields

Science Information Services Department · 1978

This 1978 technical report by the Franklin Institute examined magnetic fields and their potential health effects in occupational settings. The document provided an information profile on magnetic field exposure risks for workers, representing early recognition of electromagnetic field safety concerns in workplace environments. This research helped establish foundational understanding of magnetic field exposure assessment during the early years of EMF health investigations.

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Whole Body / General

Information Profile: Magnetic Fields

Science Information Services Department · 1978

This 1978 technical report by the Franklin Institute examined magnetic fields as physical agents, focusing on both natural geomagnetic fields and those generated by electrical technology. The report provided foundational technical analysis of magnetic field characteristics and their interactions with biological systems during the early period of EMF research.

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Whole Body / General

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON EXTRA-HIGH-VOLTAGE OVERHEAD ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES

David E. Janes · 1976

In March 1975 the Environmental Protection Agency requested data on health and environmental effects of extremely high voltage transmission lines. By March 1976 the agency had received over 50 responses comprising more than 6,000 pages of material. This report lists each respondent with a brief description of their submission and provides an alphabetical bibliography of the technical materials received. The submitted technical material consists mostly of published articles along with some technical memorandums and internal reports. Bibliographies supplied by respondents have not yet been compiled and readers are directed to the original submissions for those references.

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Brain & Nervous System
Review

INTRODUCTION: EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

W. R. Adey · 1975

Studies reported behavioral effects including shortening of human reaction times, of human circadian rhythms, and of subjective estimates of the passage of time in the monkey, using electric fields at 5-15 Hz with a peak amplitude of 2-10 V/m in air. There was a remarkable tuning curve for different modulation frequencies, with increased calcium efflux from the cortex at modulation frequencies between 9 and 20 Hz, but very little increase outside this frequency band. Pulsed electric stimulation of cat cortex with gradients in the range 20-60 mV/cm increased the efflux of both calcium and GABA.

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FAQs: Power Lines EMF Research

Every time you flip a light switch or plug in an appliance, you're tapping into an electrical grid that requires power lines to carry electricity from power plants to your home. These overhead and underground transmission lines create extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields as electricity flows through them - and unlike the electric fields that walls can block, these...
The SYB Research Database includes 922 peer-reviewed studies specifically examining power lines electromagnetic radiation and its potential health effects. These studies have been conducted by researchers worldwide and published in scientific journals. The research examines various biological endpoints including cellular effects, neurological impacts, reproductive health, and other health outcomes.
85% of the 922 studies examining power lines electromagnetic radiation found measurable biological effects. This means that 784 studies documented observable changes when organisms were exposed to power lines EMF. The remaining studies either found no significant effects or had inconclusive results.