Radiofrequency radiation injures trees around mobile phone base stations.
Waldmann-Selsam C, Balmori-de la Puente A, Breunig H, Balmori A. · 2016
View Original AbstractTrees near cell towers developed radiation damage on the antenna-facing side, while trees in low-radiation areas remained healthy.
Plain English Summary
German researchers studied 120 trees near cell phone towers over nine years and found that trees closest to the towers developed damage on the side facing the antenna, while trees in low-radiation areas showed no damage. The damage patterns directly correlated with radiofrequency radiation measurements, with higher exposure levels corresponding to more severe tree damage. This suggests that RF radiation from cell towers can cause biological harm to living organisms at environmental exposure levels.
Why This Matters
This field study provides compelling evidence that radiofrequency radiation from cell towers causes measurable biological damage to trees at real-world exposure levels. What makes this research particularly significant is its nine-year observation period and the clear dose-response relationship between radiation exposure and damage severity. The fact that trees in low-radiation areas (under 50 microwatts per square meter) showed no damage while those facing cell towers developed progressive injury suggests a clear causal relationship. The reality is that if RF radiation can damage the robust cellular structures of trees, we should take seriously the potential for similar effects on human biology. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that current safety standards may not adequately protect living organisms from chronic low-level RF exposure.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this study was to verify whether there is a connection between unusual (generally unilateral) tree damage and radiofrequency exposure.
To achieve this, a detailed long-term (2006-2015) field monitoring study was performed in the cities...
By interpolation of the 144 measurement points, we were able to compile an electromagnetic map of th...
These results are consistent with the fact that damage afflicted on trees by mobile phone towers usually start on one side, extending to the whole tree over time.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2016_radiofrequency_radiation_injures_trees_2674,
author = {Waldmann-Selsam C and Balmori-de la Puente A and Breunig H and Balmori A.},
title = {Radiofrequency radiation injures trees around mobile phone base stations.},
year = {2016},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27552133/#:~:text=Statistical%20analysis%20demonstrated%20that%20electromagnetic,the%20whole%20tree%20over%20time.},
}