Effect of Microwave Radiation on Birds
J. A. Tanner · 1966
Early 1966 bird research established that microwave radiation causes both heating and behavioral effects in wildlife.
Plain English Summary
This 1966 study by J.A. Tanner examined how microwave radiation affects birds, investigating both thermal (heating) effects and behavioral changes. The research focused on understanding how electromagnetic fields from microwave frequencies impact avian biology and behavior patterns. This early work helped establish foundational knowledge about microwave radiation effects on living organisms.
Why This Matters
This pioneering 1966 research represents some of the earliest scientific investigation into microwave radiation's biological effects, predating our modern wireless world by decades. The science demonstrates that concerns about electromagnetic field exposure aren't new - researchers were documenting effects on wildlife long before cell phones, WiFi, and smart devices became ubiquitous. What makes this study particularly relevant today is that birds are often considered sentinel species for environmental health threats. The reality is that modern microwave frequencies from our wireless devices operate in similar ranges to what Tanner studied, yet we're now surrounded by these signals 24/7. While we don't have the specific findings from this early work, the fact that researchers in 1966 found it necessary to study both thermal and behavioral effects suggests they observed meaningful biological responses to microwave exposure.
Finding
Experiments have been conducted on chickens (Old English Games) fourteen weeks old at power levels in the range 10-30 mW/cm’, at a frequency of 16,000 Mc/s and a pulse repetition rate of 8,000 pulses per sec. A horn antenna was arranged so that it could be mounted above, below or at the side of the cage. With the antenna mounted vertically above the cage it was observed, a few seconds after the onset of radiation, that sustained extensor activity of a wing and leg occurred—a reaction possibly due to the penetration of induced electrical activity to the spinal cord.
In their words
“Experiments have been conducted on chickens (Old English Games) fourteen weeks old at power levels in the range 10-30 mW/cm’, at a frequency of 16,000 Mc/s and a pulse repetition rate of 8,000 pulses per sec. A horn antenna was arranged so that it could be mounted above, below or at the side of the cage. With the antenna mounted vertically above the cage it was observed, a few seconds after the onset of radiation, that sustained extensor activity of a wing and leg occurred—a reaction possibly due to the penetration of induced electrical activity to the spinal cord.”
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: N/A
Study Details
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Show BibTeX
@article{effect_of_microwave_radiation_on_birds_g5736,
author = {J. A. Tanner},
title = {Effect of Microwave Radiation on Birds},
year = {1966},
}