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BIOPHYSICAL EXPLANATIONS OF THE EFFECT OF MAGNETIC FIELDS ON BIOLOGICAL OBJECTS

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I. L. Degen · 1972

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Faraday's 1845 discovery of blood's magnetic properties launched magnetobiology research, proving biological EMF effects aren't new science.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1972 review traces the historical origins of magnetobiology research back to Michael Faraday's 1845 discovery that blood components respond to magnetic fields. The paper examines how this early finding sparked decades of biophysics research into magnetic field effects on living systems.

Why This Matters

This historical review marks a crucial turning point in our understanding of how electromagnetic fields interact with biological systems. What started as Faraday's curiosity about blood's magnetic properties in 1845 laid the groundwork for an entire field of research that remains highly relevant today. The science demonstrates that biological systems, starting with our blood, are inherently responsive to electromagnetic influences.

The reality is that this early recognition of magnetic field bioeffects challenges the modern assumption that EMF exposures below heating thresholds are biologically inert. When the founder of electromagnetic theory himself observed that living blood responds to magnetic fields, it underscores that electromagnetic bioeffects aren't speculative - they're fundamental to how our bodies function.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
I. L. Degen (1972). BIOPHYSICAL EXPLANATIONS OF THE EFFECT OF MAGNETIC FIELDS ON BIOLOGICAL OBJECTS.
Show BibTeX
@article{biophysical_explanations_of_the_effect_of_magnetic_fields_on_biological_objects_g4432,
  author = {I. L. Degen},
  title = {BIOPHYSICAL EXPLANATIONS OF THE EFFECT OF MAGNETIC FIELDS ON BIOLOGICAL OBJECTS},
  year = {1972},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Michael Faraday discovered in 1845 that dried blood hemoglobin has diamagnetic properties, meaning it's repelled by magnetic fields. This finding led him to experiment with fresh living blood and magnetic field interactions.
Diamagnetic blood means blood components are slightly repelled by magnetic fields rather than attracted to them. This discovery was significant because it showed biological materials respond to electromagnetic forces in measurable ways.
Faraday's work became the foundation for magnetobiology, an entire field studying how magnetic and electromagnetic fields affect living organisms. His blood experiments sparked decades of biophysics research into EMF bioeffects.
While Faraday's initial discovery was somewhat accidental, the subsequent development of magnetobiology research was intentional. Scientists recognized that understanding magnetic field effects on blood could reveal broader biological mechanisms.
Blood was a logical starting point because it circulates throughout the body and contains iron-rich hemoglobin. Faraday's discovery that blood responds to magnetic fields suggested this vital fluid could be a pathway for electromagnetic bioeffects.