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

Reduced growth of soybean seedlings after exposure to weak microwave radiation from GSM 900 mobile phone and base station.

Bioeffects Seen

Malka N. Halgamuge, See Kye Yak and Jacob L. Eberhardt · 2015

View Original Abstract
Share:

Wireless radiation disrupted plant growth at levels similar to cell tower exposure, suggesting EMF affects basic biological processes.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Scientists exposed soybean seedlings to 900 MHz cell phone radiation at various power levels. Even extremely weak signals similar to cell tower emissions reduced plant growth in specific parts of the seedlings, suggesting wireless radiation may disrupt biological processes in living organisms.

Why This Matters

This study adds important evidence to our understanding of how wireless radiation affects living systems at the cellular level. The researchers found growth disruption in soybean seedlings at field strengths as low as 0.56 V/m, which is comparable to radiation levels you might encounter near cell towers in everyday environments. What makes this particularly significant is that plants don't have nervous systems or the complex biological mechanisms that industry often claims are necessary for EMF effects to occur. The fact that even simple plant growth processes can be disrupted by wireless radiation suggests these effects operate at a fundamental cellular level. The dose-dependent responses and the different effects from pulsed versus continuous wave radiation also demonstrate that it's not just about heating effects, but about how biological systems respond to the information-carrying characteristics of these signals.

Exposure Details

Electric Field
5.7 and 41 V/m
Source/Device
900 MHz Mobile Phone
Exposure Duration
2 h

Exposure Context

This study used 5.7 and 41 V/m for electric 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.

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this work was to study possible effects of environmental radiation pollution on plants.

The association between cellular telephone (short duration, higher amplitude) and base station (long...

The exposure to higher amplitude (41 V m(-1)) GSM radiation resulted in diminished outgrowth of the ...

Our findings indicate that the observed effects were significantly dependent on field strength as well as amplitude modulation of the applied field.

Cite This Study
Malka N. Halgamuge, See Kye Yak and Jacob L. Eberhardt (2015). Reduced growth of soybean seedlings after exposure to weak microwave radiation from GSM 900 mobile phone and base station. Bioelectromagnetics. 36(2):87-95, 2015.
Show BibTeX
@article{halgamuge_2015_reduced_growth_of_soybean_1175,
  author = {Malka N. Halgamuge and See Kye Yak and Jacob L. Eberhardt},
  title = {Reduced growth of soybean seedlings after exposure to weak microwave radiation from GSM 900 mobile phone and base station.},
  year = {2015},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25644316/},
}
PubMed: 25644316

Cited By (41 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, 900 MHz GSM radiation from cell phones significantly affects soybean seedling growth. A 2015 study found that even extremely weak signals (0.56 V/m) similar to cell tower levels reduced growth in specific plant parts, suggesting wireless radiation disrupts biological processes in living organisms.
Yes, cell tower strength radiation can harm plant development. Research on soybean seedlings exposed to extremely low 900 MHz GSM radiation (0.56 V/m) found reduced growth in stems and shoots after just 5 days of exposure, demonstrating biological effects at environmental levels.
Multiple power levels of cell phone radiation affect plants differently. High amplitude GSM signals (41 V/m) reduced stem growth, while extremely low levels (0.56 V/m) similar to environmental exposure decreased both stem and shoot development but stimulated root growth in soybean seedlings.
Yes, amplitude modulation makes GSM radiation effects significantly different. The 2015 soybean study found that modulated GSM signals caused different growth patterns compared to continuous wave radiation at similar frequencies, with effects depending on both field strength and signal modulation type.
900 MHz radiation affects seedling growth within days. Soybean seedlings exposed to extremely weak GSM signals for just 5 days showed measurable growth changes when examined 2 days later, indicating rapid biological responses to low-level wireless radiation exposure.