Radio frequency magnetic fields disrupt magnetoreception in American cockroach.
Vácha M, Puzová T, Kvícalová M · 2009
View Original AbstractRadio frequency fields as weak as 12 nanotesla can disrupt animal navigation systems that evolved over millions of years.
Plain English Summary
Researchers studied how radio frequency magnetic fields affect the ability of American cockroaches to sense Earth's magnetic field for navigation. They found that weak RF fields at specific frequencies disrupted the insects' magnetic navigation system, with the strongest disruption occurring at 1.2 MHz at levels as low as 12-18 nanotesla. This suggests that common electromagnetic pollution could interfere with the natural navigation abilities of insects and other animals.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something remarkable: the same radio frequency fields that surround us daily can disrupt the fundamental navigation systems that animals have relied on for millions of years. The researchers found disruption at extraordinarily low levels - just 12-18 nanotesla at 1.2 MHz - which is well within the range of ambient RF pollution in urban environments. What makes this particularly significant is that insects and birds appear to share similar magnetoreception mechanisms, suggesting this interference could affect a wide range of wildlife. The frequency-specific effects the researchers observed point to biological resonance rather than simple interference, indicating that living systems have evolved exquisite sensitivity to electromagnetic fields that our technology now routinely disrupts. While this study focused on cockroaches, the implications extend far beyond insects to the broader question of how our electromagnetic environment affects all biological navigation systems.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
As the first such study in invertebrates, our work offers evidence that geomagnetic field reception in American cockroach is sensitive to a weak radio frequency field.
Furthermore, we show that the `deafening' effect at Larmor frequency 1.2 MHz is stronger than at dif...
The onset of the disruptive effect of a 1.2 MHz field was found between 12 nT and 18 nT whereas the ...
The results indicate resonance effects rather than non-specific bias of procedure itself and suggest that insects may be equipped with the same magnetoreception system as the birds.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2009_radio_frequency_magnetic_fields_1540,
author = {Vácha M and Puzová T and Kvícalová M},
title = {Radio frequency magnetic fields disrupt magnetoreception in American cockroach.},
year = {2009},
url = {https://jeb.biologists.org/content/212/21/3473.short},
}