8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Symptoms & Sensitivity

Project NEMESIS: perception of a 50 Hz electric and magnetic field at low intensities (laboratory experiment)

Bioeffects Seen

Mueller CH, Krueger H, Schierz C · 2002

View Original Abstract
Share:

Eleven percent of people can consciously detect household-level electromagnetic fields, but sensitivity symptoms don't predict detection ability.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested 63 people to see if they could detect weak electrical fields from household wiring. Seven participants could reliably sense these fields during blind testing, but having electromagnetic sensitivity symptoms didn't predict detection ability, suggesting perception and symptoms are separate phenomena.

Why This Matters

This controlled study provides important evidence that some people can genuinely detect electromagnetic fields at levels we encounter daily around electrical wiring and appliances. The 50 Hz frequency and field strengths tested (100 V/m electric field, 6 μT magnetic field) are comparable to what you experience standing near household electrical panels or under power lines. What makes this research particularly significant is that it separates two often-confused concepts: the ability to consciously perceive EMF versus experiencing health symptoms from EMF exposure. The fact that 11% of participants could detect fields regardless of whether they reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity suggests our understanding of EMF sensitivity needs refinement. This challenges both skeptics who dismiss all EMF perception claims and those who assume sensitivity symptoms always correlate with detection ability.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.006 mG
Electric Field
100 V/m
Source/Device
50 Hz
Exposure Duration
2 min

Exposure Context

This study used 100 V/m for electric fields:

This study used 0.006 mG for magnetic fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.006 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 333,333x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The double blind laboratory experiment tested the hypothesis that there are subjects with the ability to perceive 50 Hz EMF at 100 V/m and 6 μT (EMF sensitive) and to investigate the prevalence of EMF sensitivity in a group consisting of subjects with or without self-reported EHS.

A total of 63 volunteers, 49 with EHS and 14 controls, took part in the EMF perception experiment, w...

Seven out of 63 subjects reached a statistically significant result which points to the existence of...

The results of the EMF perception experiment suggest that EHS is not a prerequisite for the ability to consciously perceive weak EMF and vice versa.

Cite This Study
Mueller CH, Krueger H, Schierz C (2002). Project NEMESIS: perception of a 50 Hz electric and magnetic field at low intensities (laboratory experiment) Bioelectromagnetics. 23(1):26-36, 2002.
Show BibTeX
@article{ch_2002_project_nemesis_perception_of_499,
  author = {Mueller CH and Krueger H and Schierz C},
  title = {Project NEMESIS: perception of a 50 Hz electric and magnetic field at low intensities (laboratory experiment)},
  year = {2002},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.95},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.95},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.95

Cited By (42 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, research shows some people can detect weak electrical fields. A 2002 study found 7 out of 63 participants could reliably sense household-level electrical fields during blind testing, suggesting a small subset of the population has this ability.
No, electromagnetic sensitivity symptoms don't predict detection ability. The 2002 Project NEMESIS study found no difference in field perception success between people with self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity and those without symptoms.
About 11% of people may detect weak electrical fields. A controlled laboratory study of 63 participants found 7 individuals could reliably sense 50 Hz electrical fields from household wiring during blind testing conditions.
The relationship is complex. A 2002 study found that people with electromagnetic sensitivity symptoms weren't better at detecting actual fields than others, suggesting symptoms and field perception are separate phenomena with different underlying mechanisms.
Some individuals can detect household electrical fields, but this ability doesn't correlate with sensitivity symptoms. Research shows about 11% of people can sense weak 50 Hz fields, though having electromagnetic sensitivity doesn't improve detection rates.