Versuche über den Einfluß kurzer elektrischer Wellen auf das Wachstum von Bakterien
Dr. W. Haase, Priv.-Doz. Dr. E. Schliephake · 1931
Scientists have been documenting biological effects from radio waves since 1931, nearly a century before smartphones.
Plain English Summary
This 1931 German study by Dr. Haase and Dr. Schliephake investigated how short-wave radio frequency radiation affects bacterial growth. The research examined biological effects of electromagnetic waves on microorganisms, representing some of the earliest scientific inquiry into EMF impacts on living systems. This work helped establish the foundation for understanding how wireless signals interact with biological processes.
Why This Matters
What makes this 1931 research remarkable is its timing - scientists were investigating biological effects of radio waves just decades after their discovery, long before anyone imagined we'd carry wireless transmitters in our pockets. Dr. Schliephake, in particular, became known for documenting what he called 'radio wave sickness' in people living near early broadcast transmitters. The fact that researchers nearly a century ago were already observing biological effects from RF radiation should give us pause about today's exponentially higher exposure levels.
The reality is that we've been accumulating evidence of EMF biological effects for almost 100 years, yet regulatory agencies continue to dismiss these findings as insufficient. While bacteria aren't humans, they share fundamental cellular processes with us. When electromagnetic fields can alter bacterial growth patterns, it demonstrates that wireless radiation isn't the inert, harmless energy that industry claims it to be.
Figures from the Original Paper
Diagrams extracted from the original research document.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
To investigate the effects of short electromagnetic waves on bacterial growth
Experiments conducted with short electromagnetic waves in the wavelength range between 8 and 100 met...
The study found that the abatement of bacterial growth depends on the wavelength of the applied elec...
The damage to bacteria can be explained by the thermal effect alone. However, the possibility of other non-thermal influences on bacterial cellular structures cannot be ruled out. The optimal wavelength for maximum effect varies with the concentration of the electrolyte solution used.
Show BibTeX
@article{versuche_ber_den_einflu_kurzer_elektrischer_wellen_auf_das_wachstum_von_bakterie_g97,
author = {Dr. W. Haase and Priv.-Doz. Dr. E. Schliephake},
title = {Versuche über den Einfluß kurzer elektrischer Wellen auf das Wachstum von Bakterien},
year = {1931},
}