8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous System

The influence of static magnetic field (50 mT) on development and motor behaviour of Tenebrio (Insecta, Coleoptera).

Bioeffects Seen

Todorović D, Marković T, Prolić Z, Mihajlović S, Rauš S, Nikolić L, Janać B. · 2013

View Original Abstract
Share:

Static magnetic fields 1,000 times Earth's strength altered beetle behavior, showing biological systems can detect and respond to magnetic exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed beetles to a strong static magnetic field (1,000 times Earth's strength) and found it didn't affect development time but did alter movement patterns in one species, with effects varying by magnetic pole orientation, showing static fields can influence animal behavior.

Why This Matters

This study adds to growing evidence that magnetic fields can affect biological systems, even at the cellular and behavioral level. The 50 mT exposure used here is extremely strong compared to typical environmental exposures, but the fact that researchers found measurable behavioral changes demonstrates that living organisms can detect and respond to magnetic field exposure. What makes this research particularly interesting is that the effects varied by magnetic pole orientation, suggesting the biological response isn't simply about field strength but also field characteristics. While we can't directly extrapolate from beetle behavior to human health, studies like this help us understand the fundamental ways that magnetic fields interact with biological systems. The science demonstrates that electromagnetic fields aren't biologically inert, as some industry sources claim.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
50 mG

Exposure Context

This study used 50 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: 50 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 40x higher than this level

Study Details

Duration of pupa-adult development and motor behaviour of adults were analyzed in Tenebrio obscursus and T. molitor after exposure to static magnetic field (50 mT).

The experimental groups were: Control (kept 5 m from the magnets), groups which pupae and adults wer...

Static magnetic field did not affect pupa-adult developmental dynamic of examined Tenebrio species. ...

Static magnetic field (50 mT) did not affect on pupa-adult development dynamic of two examined Tenebrio species, but modulated their motor behaviour.

Cite This Study
Todorović D, Marković T, Prolić Z, Mihajlović S, Rauš S, Nikolić L, Janać B. (2013). The influence of static magnetic field (50 mT) on development and motor behaviour of Tenebrio (Insecta, Coleoptera). Int J Radiat Biol. 89(1):44-50, 2013.
Show BibTeX
@article{d_2013_the_influence_of_static_723,
  author = {Todorović D and Marković T and Prolić Z and Mihajlović S and Rauš S and Nikolić L and Janać B.},
  title = {The influence of static magnetic field (50 mT) on development and motor behaviour of Tenebrio (Insecta, Coleoptera).},
  year = {2013},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22849716/},
}
PubMed: 22849716

Cited By (16 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

No, static magnetic fields do not affect beetle development time. A 2013 study exposed Tenebrio beetles to 50 mT static magnetic fields (1,000 times Earth's strength) and found no impact on pupa-to-adult development timing in either species tested.
Yes, 50 mT static magnetic fields can alter insect movement patterns in some species. The study found T. molitor beetles showed changed motor behavior after magnetic field exposure, while T. obscurus beetles showed no significant movement changes.
Yes, magnetic pole orientation significantly affects beetle behavior responses. Tenebrio molitor beetles developed near the North pole versus South pole of the magnetic dipole showed opposite changes in motor behavior patterns after 50 mT field exposure.
Tenebrio obscurus beetles appear less sensitive to static magnetic field effects. While 50 mT magnetic field exposure altered movement in T. molitor beetles, T. obscurus showed no significant changes in motor behavior under identical conditions.
Researchers used 50 mT (millitesla) static magnetic fields in Tenebrio beetle studies. This field strength is approximately 1,000 times stronger than Earth's natural magnetic field and represents a significant experimental exposure level for biological testing.