8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous System

The impacts of artificial Electromagnetic Radiation on wildlife (flora and fauna)

Bioeffects Seen

Malkemper EP, Tscheulin T, VanBergen AJ, Vian A, Balian E, Goudeseune L · 2018

View Original Abstract
Share:

Current research is too limited to determine if wireless radiation threatens pollinators, despite rapid deployment of EMF infrastructure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 2018 review examined whether electromagnetic radiation from wireless technologies and artificial light threatens pollinators like bees and other insects. The researchers found very limited high-quality studies, with most evidence either inconclusive or contradictory. While some lab experiments suggest bees can detect electromagnetic fields, there's insufficient evidence to determine if wireless radiation significantly harms pollinator populations in real-world environments.

Why This Matters

This comprehensive review reveals a troubling gap in our understanding of EMF impacts on the natural world. While we're rapidly deploying 5G networks and wireless infrastructure everywhere, we have almost no solid science on how this affects the pollinators our food system depends on. The handful of existing studies show bees can sense electromagnetic fields, but we don't know if the radiation from cell towers and wireless devices disrupts their navigation, foraging, or colony health. What's particularly concerning is that we're treating our entire ecosystem as a laboratory experiment. The same frequencies that penetrate your body when you use a smartphone are now blanketing the environment where bees, butterflies, and other pollinators live and work. Given that pollinator populations are already under severe stress from pesticides and habitat loss, adding another potential stressor without adequate research seems reckless.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Malkemper EP, Tscheulin T, VanBergen AJ, Vian A, Balian E, Goudeseune L (2018). The impacts of artificial Electromagnetic Radiation on wildlife (flora and fauna).
Show BibTeX
@article{the_impacts_of_artificial_electromagnetic_radiation_on_wildlife_flora_and_fauna_ce4911,
  author = {Malkemper EP and Tscheulin T and VanBergen AJ and Vian A and Balian E and Goudeseune L},
  title = {The impacts of artificial Electromagnetic Radiation on wildlife (flora and fauna)},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133833},
  url = {http://bit.ly/Eklipseoverview},
}
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133833PubMed: 31419678

Quick Questions About This Study

Current evidence is insufficient to determine this. While some lab studies show bees can detect electromagnetic fields, there's limited research on whether wireless radiation affects bee behavior, navigation, or colony health in real-world environments.
Yes, some studies provide evidence that artificial light at night can alter pollinator communities, disrupt pollination patterns, and affect fruit set, though research remains limited compared to other environmental threats.
Laboratory experiments suggest honey bees and other invertebrates can detect electromagnetic radiation and may potentially use it for orientation or navigation, but evidence of this behavior in natural ecosystems is lacking.
Only one study has examined this question, reporting mixed positive and negative effects on different pollinator groups depending on location. More research is needed to establish definitive impacts on insect diversity.
The review identified a lack of high-quality scientific studies specifically designed to assess electromagnetic radiation impacts on pollinators, leaving knowledge gaps about this potential environmental threat largely unresolved.