8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Whole Body / General

Trends in Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation Bioeffects Research and Related Occupational Health Aspects

Bioeffects Seen

C. H. Dodget, Z. R. Glaser · 1977

Share:

Soviet EMF safety standards were 1,000 times stricter than Western limits, and 1977 research suggested they might have been right about non-thermal effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1977 review examined international research on microwave and radiofrequency radiation effects, comparing Western and Soviet findings. The study found emerging evidence that electromagnetic fields could affect nervous system function in animals at power levels below those causing heating, supporting some Soviet claims about biological effects at low exposure levels.

Why This Matters

This historical review reveals a fascinating divide that shaped EMF safety standards for decades. While Soviet researchers documented nervous system effects at 0.01 mW/cm² and set their occupational limits accordingly, Western standards remained 1,000 times higher at 10 mW/cm². The science demonstrates that this wasn't just political posturing. Western researchers were beginning to find biological effects below thermal thresholds, validating concerns that had been dismissed for years. What this means for you is that the conservative approach taken by Soviet scientists may have been more protective than the thermal-only standards that still influence regulations today. Your WiFi router operates at power densities that would have concerned Soviet researchers, yet fall well within current Western guidelines.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
C. H. Dodget, Z. R. Glaser (1977). Trends in Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation Bioeffects Research and Related Occupational Health Aspects.
Show BibTeX
@article{trends_in_nonionizing_electromagnetic_radiation_bioeffects_research_and_related__g4263,
  author = {C. H. Dodget and Z. R. Glaser},
  title = {Trends in Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation Bioeffects Research and Related Occupational Health Aspects},
  year = {1977},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Soviet occupational limits were 0.01 mW/cm² compared to 10 mW/cm² in the West because Soviet researchers documented nervous system effects and psychophysiological dysfunctions at much lower power levels than those causing heating.
Studies found that microwave and RF fields could affect nervous system function and morphology in small mammals, birds, and invertebrates at power levels below those defined as heat-producing in Western research.
No, Western clinical studies did not corroborate extensive Soviet surveys showing psychophysiological dysfunctions and reversible impairments from chronic exposure to low-power electromagnetic fields below 10 mW/cm².
Soviet researchers reported a variety of psychophysiological dysfunctions from chronic electromagnetic field exposure at relatively low power densities, typically less than 10 mW/cm² and occasionally below 1 mW/cm².
No, the review found no compelling evidence to support speculations that modulated electromagnetic fields could be used to remotely control human behavior, despite some claims circulating at the time.