Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.
Nanometer-scale elongation rate fluctuations in the Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) stem were altered by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation.
Senavirathna MD, Asaeda T, Thilakarathne BL, Kadono H · 2014
View Original AbstractPlants exposed to cell-tower-level RF radiation showed altered growth patterns for hours afterward, demonstrating non-thermal biological effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed aquatic plants to 2 GHz radio frequency radiation (similar to cell phone signals) for one hour and measured ultra-precise changes in how the plants grew. The radiation significantly altered the plants' natural growth patterns by 51%, and these changes persisted for at least 2.5 hours after exposure ended. This demonstrates that RF radiation can affect living organisms through non-thermal mechanisms, even in plants.
Study Details
The emission of radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by various wireless communication base stations has increased in recent years. While there is wide concern about the effects of EMR on humans and animals, the influence of EMR on plants is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of EMR on the growth dynamics of Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) by measuring the nanometric elongation rate fluctuation (NERF) using a statistical interferometry technique.
Plants were exposed to 2 GHz EMR at a maximum of 1.42 Wm(-2) for 1 h.
After continuous exposure to EMR, M. aquaticum plants exhibited a statistically significant 51 ± 16%...
Show BibTeX
@article{md_2014_nanometerscale_elongation_rate_fluctuations_3390,
author = {Senavirathna MD and Asaeda T and Thilakarathne BL and Kadono H},
title = {Nanometer-scale elongation rate fluctuations in the Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) stem were altered by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24670369/},
}