8,655 Studies Reviewed. 86.9% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.

BIOEFFECTS OF RF/MICROWAVE RADIATION

Bioeffects Seen

Bob Curtis · 1979

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Health concerns about RF-microwave radiation aren't new - scientists documented biological effects over 40 years ago.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1979 technical report by Curtis examined the biological effects of radiofrequency and microwave radiation on human health, focusing on occupational exposure scenarios. The research reviewed epidemiological evidence and health effects from RF-microwave radiation exposure in workplace settings. This early comprehensive analysis helped establish foundational understanding of RF bioeffects during the emerging era of widespread microwave technology adoption.

Why This Matters

This 1979 report represents a pivotal moment in EMF health research, conducted just as microwave ovens, radar systems, and early wireless technologies were proliferating in society. The science demonstrates that concerns about RF-microwave bioeffects aren't new - researchers were documenting potential health impacts over four decades ago, well before cell phones became ubiquitous. What this means for you is that the biological effects of radiofrequency radiation have been a legitimate scientific concern since the technology's early days, not something invented by modern critics.

The reality is that occupational exposure studies like this often reveal health effects at much higher power levels than consumer devices produce. However, today's chronic, low-level exposures from smartphones, WiFi, and wireless infrastructure represent a fundamentally different exposure pattern than what Curtis studied. You don't have to accept that four decades of research showing bioeffects should be dismissed simply because the wireless industry has grown into a trillion-dollar enterprise.

Finding

The general consensus of the reviewed studies identify the eye lens and the central nervous system as the primary target organs; the latter causing secondary effects in the cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, and other systems.

In their words

The general consensus of the reviewed studies identify the eye lens and the central nervous system as the primary target organs; the latter causing secondary effects in the cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, and other systems.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1-10 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1-10 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

to investigate the hypothesis that low-level chronic exposure to RF/microwave radiation can cause adverse health effects in humans

review of Eastern European and Russian epidemiology studies; study designs included clinical examina...

studies reported various health effects including changes in thyroid function, hematologic modificat...

the original hypothesis regarding the existence of microwave induced health effects is not convincingly resolved; however, the information presented can be selectively used in overall evaluation of the hypothesis; general consensus identifies eye lens and central nervous system as primary target organs; the reported results may be cautiously interpreted as an upper bound of acute adverse health effects; consideration for enforcing limits on occupational exposure must be considered

Cite This Study
Bob Curtis (1979). BIOEFFECTS OF RF/MICROWAVE RADIATION.
Show BibTeX
@article{bioeffects_of_rf_microwave_radiation_g6080,
  author = {Bob Curtis},
  title = {BIOEFFECTS OF RF/MICROWAVE RADIATION},
  year = {1979},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

The report examined workplace exposures from radar systems, microwave heating equipment, and industrial RF devices that were common in the late 1970s. These occupational settings typically involved much higher power levels than consumer devices produce today.
While 1970s research focused on high-power occupational exposures, it established that RF-microwave radiation can produce biological effects in humans. Modern devices operate at lower power but create chronic, continuous exposures that weren't studied in this era.
By 1979, researchers had already begun documenting health patterns in workers exposed to RF-microwave radiation, including radar operators and microwave equipment technicians. This early epidemiological work laid groundwork for understanding population-level health effects.
This report came during a critical period when microwave technology was rapidly expanding into civilian applications. It helped establish that biological effects from RF-microwave radiation were scientifically recognized concerns, not recent inventions of wireless critics.
Early research had identified various bioeffects from RF-microwave exposure, though specific findings varied by frequency, power level, and exposure duration. This foundational work preceded decades of additional research on wireless radiation health impacts.