[Stimulation of murine natural killer cells by weak electromagnetic waves in the centimeter range].
Fesenko EE, Novoselova EG, Semiletova NV, Agafonova TA, Sadovnikov VB. · 1999
View Original AbstractExtremely weak microwave radiation boosted immune cell activity by 130-150% in mice, but only with prolonged 24-72 hour exposure.
Plain English Summary
Russian researchers exposed mice to extremely low-power microwave radiation (8.15-18 GHz at 1 microW/cm²) for 24-72 hours and found their natural killer cells became 130-150% more active. Natural killer cells are immune system defenders that destroy cancer cells and virus-infected cells. The immune boost lasted 24 hours after exposure ended, but shorter exposures of 3-5 hours showed no effect.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something unexpected about how our immune systems respond to microwave radiation. While most EMF research focuses on harmful effects, these Russian scientists found that extremely weak microwave exposure actually stimulated natural killer cells, which are crucial for fighting cancer and infections. The exposure level of 1 microW/cm² is remarkably low - roughly 1,000 times weaker than what you'd experience from a cell phone held to your head. What makes this particularly intriguing is the timing factor: the immune boost only occurred with prolonged exposure of 24-72 hours, not shorter periods. This suggests our bodies may have complex, time-dependent responses to EMF that we're only beginning to understand. The reality is that EMF effects on biological systems are far more nuanced than simple 'good' or 'bad' categories, and this research adds another layer to our understanding of how electromagnetic fields interact with living tissue.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 0.001 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 8.15-18 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 24-72 hours
Exposure Context
This study used 0.001 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 100Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 1.7Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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 Details
The aim of this study is to investigate Stimulation of murine natural killer cells by weak electromagnetic waves in the centimeter range
Irradiation with electromagnetic waves (8.15-18 GHz, 1 Hz within, 1 microW/cm2) in vivo increases th...
Show BibTeX
@article{ee_1999_stimulation_of_murine_natural_1065,
author = {Fesenko EE and Novoselova EG and Semiletova NV and Agafonova TA and Sadovnikov VB.},
title = {[Stimulation of murine natural killer cells by weak electromagnetic waves in the centimeter range].},
year = {1999},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10544828/},
}