6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body

Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Brain & Nervous System

Weak Broadband Electromagnetic Fields are More Disruptive to Magnetic Compass Orientation in a Night-Migratory Songbird (Erithacus rubecula) than Strong Narrow-Band Fields.

No Effects Found

Schwarze S, Schneider NL, Reichl T, Dreyer D, Lefeldt N, Engels S, Baker N, Hore PJ, Mouritsen H. · 2016

View Original Abstract
Share:

Weak broadband electromagnetic fields disrupted magnetic compass orientation in European robins while strong narrow-band fields did not.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested European robins' magnetic compass orientation in an electromagnetically silent laboratory under four narrow-band electromagnetic fields at the Larmor frequency, double the Larmor frequency, 1.315 MHz, and 50 Hz, and broadband electromagnetic noise covering ~2 kHz to ~9 MHz. None of the relatively strong narrow-band fields disrupted the robins' magnetic compass orientation. The weak broadband field very efficiently disrupted the robins' magnetic compass orientation.

Why This Matters

Magnetic compass orientation in night-migratory songbirds is embedded in the visual system and appears to rely on a light-dependent radical pair mechanism. Previous findings suggested that both broadband fields from ~2 kHz to ~9 MHz and narrow-band fields at the Larmor frequency could disrupt this mechanism. The researchers noted that effects specific to the Larmor frequency are difficult to understand because local magnetic fields from nuclear spins complicate the picture for an organic sensory molecule.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz - 9 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 Hz - 9 MHzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 1.315 MHz or 50 Hz, ~2 kHz to ~9 MHz

Study Details

Magnetic compass orientation in night-migratory songbirds is embedded in the visual system and seems to be based on a light-dependent radical pair mechanism. Recent findings suggest that both broadband electromagnetic fields ranging from ~2 kHz to ~9 MHz and narrow-band fields at the so-called Larmor frequency for a free electron in the Earth's magnetic field can disrupt this mechanism. However, due to local magnetic fields generated by nuclear spins, effects specific to the Larmor frequency are difficult to understand considering that the primary sensory molecule should be organic and probably a protein. We therefore constructed a purpose-built laboratory and tested the orientation capabilities of European robins in an electromagnetically silent environment, under the specific influence of four different oscillating narrow-band electromagnetic fields, at the Larmor frequency, double the Larmor frequency, 1.315 MHz or 50 Hz, and in the presence of broadband electromagnetic noise covering the range from ~2 kHz to ~9 MHz.

Our results indicated that the magnetic compass orientation of European robins could not be disrupte...

Cite This Study
Schwarze S, Schneider NL, Reichl T, Dreyer D, Lefeldt N, Engels S, Baker N, Hore PJ, Mouritsen H. (2016). Weak Broadband Electromagnetic Fields are More Disruptive to Magnetic Compass Orientation in a Night-Migratory Songbird (Erithacus rubecula) than Strong Narrow-Band Fields. Front Behav Neurosci. 2016 Mar 22;10:55.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2016_weak_broadband_electromagnetic_fields_3386,
  author = {Schwarze S and Schneider NL and Reichl T and Dreyer D and Lefeldt N and Engels S and Baker N and Hore PJ and Mouritsen H. },
  title = {Weak Broadband Electromagnetic Fields are More Disruptive to Magnetic Compass Orientation in a Night-Migratory Songbird (Erithacus rubecula) than Strong Narrow-Band Fields.},
  year = {2016},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27047356/},
}
PubMed: 27047356

Cited By (97 papers)

View all 97 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

The study tested four narrow-band fields at the Larmor frequency, double the Larmor frequency, 1.315 MHz, and 50 Hz, plus broadband noise covering ~2 kHz to ~9 MHz.
No, the magnetic compass orientation of European robins could not be disrupted by any of the relatively strong narrow-band electromagnetic fields tested.
Yes, the weak broadband field very efficiently disrupted the robins' magnetic compass orientation.
The study tested European robins in an electromagnetically silent environment.