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

Human Magnetic Effects

Bioeffects Seen

Gibson, Moroney · 1974

Share:

Magnetic fields just 10% stronger than Earth's natural field caused measurable anxiety and cognitive changes in humans.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

University of Texas researchers exposed 34 people to weak magnetic fields about 10% stronger than Earth's natural magnetic field for 30-minute sessions. The study found measurable changes in forehead temperature differences, increased anxiety levels, and altered performance on calculation tests during field exposure.

Why This Matters

This early research reveals that even subtle magnetic field changes can produce measurable biological responses in humans. The fact that fields only 10% stronger than Earth's natural magnetism triggered anxiety and cognitive changes suggests our bodies are far more sensitive to electromagnetic environments than commonly assumed. What makes this particularly relevant today is that many modern EMF sources produce field strengths orders of magnitude higher than what caused these effects. The temperature asymmetry findings are especially intriguing, as they suggest EMF exposure can alter normal physiological patterns in ways we're only beginning to understand. While this study used static magnetic fields rather than the radiofrequency radiation from wireless devices, it demonstrates the principle that low-level electromagnetic exposures can influence human biology in detectable ways.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Gibson, Moroney (1974). Human Magnetic Effects.
Show BibTeX
@article{human_magnetic_effects_g7418,
  author = {Gibson and Moroney},
  title = {Human Magnetic Effects},
  year = {1974},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, this University of Texas study found that magnetic fields only 10% stronger than Earth's natural field caused measurable changes in anxiety levels, cognitive performance, and forehead temperature patterns in 34 test subjects during 30-minute exposure sessions.
Researchers documented significant increases in state anxiety when subjects were exposed to weak magnetic fields up to 5,000 gammas. The anxiety effects occurred during blind testing, meaning subjects didn't know when fields were active.
The study found measurable differences in calculation test performance during magnetic field exposure sessions compared to control periods. This replicated earlier findings by the same researchers, suggesting consistent cognitive effects from weak field exposure.
Researchers observed significant differences between left and right forehead temperatures during field-on sessions, suggesting the magnetic exposure altered normal physiological temperature regulation patterns. The mechanism behind this asymmetric temperature response remains unclear.
The magnetic fields reached cumulative intensities up to approximately 5,000 gammas, which represents only about a 10% increase over Earth's natural geomagnetic field. This relatively weak exposure still produced measurable biological effects in human subjects.