EMF Research Studies

Exposure to 5G-NR electromagnetic fields affects larval development of Aedes aegypti mosquito

De Borre E, De Massia C, Boone MN, Müller P, Thielens A · 2025

Sensation of electric fields in the Drosophila melanogaster larva

Unknown authors · 2025

Larvae showed robust electrotaxis, moving toward the cathode and adjusting their path when the field orientation changed. A behavioral screen identified a subset of sensory neurons at the tip of the larval head that are necessary for electrotaxis. Calcium imaging revealed that a pair of Gr66a-positive sensory neurons, one on each side of the head, encodes the strength and orientation of the electric field.

Combined effects of constant temperature and radio frequency exposure on Aedes mosquito development

Unknown authors · 2025

Temperature was the dominant factor, with optimal development at 30–32 °C. RF exposure at 18 GHz accelerated development at intermediate temperatures, but extreme RF and suboptimal temperatures prolonged development. Aedes aegypti was more sensitive to temperature changes than Aedes albopictus.

Behaviour and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster exposed to 3.6 GHz radio- frequency electromagnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2025

Researchers created a 3D digital twin of an adult fruit fly using micro-CT scans and used it in numerical simulations to estimate absorbed power at 3.6 GHz. They exposed adult Drosophila melanogaster to 3.6 GHz fields for 5 days at 5.4 to 9 V/m (3.56 to 9.88 nW absorbed) and measured locomotor activity. They also exposed flies for 48 hours at an absorption level of 1.91 mW and measured fecundity. No effects were found on either locomotor activity or fecundity.

The Influence of an Electromagnetic Field at a Radiofrequency of 900 MHz on the Behavior of a Honey Bee

Unknown authors · 2025

Researchers exposed honey bee workers to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields of varying intensities and durations in wooden cages. Behavior was analyzed by computer program immediately after exposure and again seven days later. The radiofrequency field affected bee behavior compared to unexposed controls, though not all results were statistically significant. Significant effects were seen seven days after exposure in walking, flight, and individual contact.

3.5GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on metabolic disorders in Drosophila melanogaster

Unknown authors · 2025

Researchers exposed newborn male Drosophila melanogaster to 3.5 GHz RF-EMF at 0.1, 1, and 10 W/m2 continuously throughout their life cycle in constant darkness. Metabolomic analysis after long-term exposure revealed disruptions in four metabolic pathways and 34 differential metabolites. Key metabolites including GABA, glucose-6-phosphate, AMP, N-formylglycinamide nucleotide, LPC, and MG showed significant decreases. The authors suggest that long-term electromagnetic wave treatment may reduce overall metabolic levels in fruit flies.

Importance of magnetic information for neuronal plasticity in desert ants

Unknown authors · 2024

Researchers analyzed structural neuronal plasticity in the brain of Cataglyphis desert ants following sky-compass calibration under permanently manipulated magnetic field conditions. Magnetic field information was integrated into the ants' central complex and mushroom bodies. Behavioral analyses showed ants use magnetic information as both a navigational compass and a reference for visual compass calibration.

The impact of radiofrequency exposure on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) development

Unknown authors · 2024

Researchers exposed 30 Aedes aegypti eggs to radiofrequency radiation at baseline, 900 MHz, and 18 GHz, with each frequency tested in triplicate. They assessed hatching responses, development times, larval numbers, and pupation periods until adult emergence. The 900 MHz group showed the highest hatching rate at 79 ± 10.54% and the lowest adult emergence rate at 33 ± 2.77%, with a significant difference between groups (p = 0.03).

Mutagenic Effect during Combined Exposure to Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation

Unknown authors · 2024

Researchers used the dominant lethal mutation method to measure embryo death in fruit flies exposed to both ionizing γ-radiation and non-ionizing pulsed magnetic field. The combined exposure produced an antagonistic mutagenic effect overall.

Changes in honey bee nutrition after exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field

Unknown authors · 2024

Researchers exposed 2-day-old Carniolan worker honey bees to radiofrequency fields of 12 V/m, 28 V/m, and 61 V/m for 0.25, 1, and 3 hours. Hemolymph was collected from 40 bees per group immediately after exposure to measure total proteins, glucose, triglycerides, and TAS activity. The 12 V/m and 28 V/m exposure groups showed statistically significant differences in total proteins, TAS, and triglycerides compared to controls in most cases. The researchers concluded that radiofrequency electromagnetic fields disturb honey bee nutrition and the changes may have long-term effects.

Electromagnetic field exposure affects the calling song, phonotaxis, and level of biogenic amines in crickets

Unknown authors · 2023

A role of cryptochrome for magnetic field-dependent improvement of sleep quality, lifespan, and motor function in Drosophila

Unknown authors · 2023

Researchers exposed fruit flies to a magnetic field of 0.4-0.6 mT and found it extended lifespan under starvation in wild-type flies but not in cryptochrome mutants. The same exposure increased motor function in both wild-type and neurodegenerative disease model flies. Magnetic field exposure also improved night-time sleep quality in wild-type flies but not in cry^b mutants. Repeated AC magnetic field exposure increased climbing activity in wild-type Drosophila but not in cry^b mutants.

No evidence for magnetic field effects on the behaviour of Drosophila

Unknown authors · 2023

Researchers tested magnetic field effects on 97,658 flies in a two-arm maze and 10,960 flies in negative geotaxis assays. Under meticulously controlled conditions with vast sample sizes, they found no evidence for magnetically sensitive behaviour in Drosophila. They suggest many or all previous positive results were false positives after reassessing statistical approaches and sample sizes. The findings cast doubt on magnetic sensing in Drosophila and support songbirds as the model for light-dependent magnetoreception.

Electromagnetic fields disrupt the pollination service by honeybees

Unknown authors · 2023

Researchers assessed the effect of electromagnetic fields on honeybee pollination efficiency using field and laboratory experiments. They measured gene and protein expression in stress and behavioral pathways, and evaluated honeybee behavior and seed production in California poppy. EMF exposure caused strong physiological stress in honeybees, reduced honeybee visits and seed production in nearby poppies, and showed a hump-shaped relationship with plant community richness and abundance.

Reliable reference genes for gene expression analyses under the hypomagnetic field in a migratory insect

Unknown authors · 2022

3.5-GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation promotes the development of Drosophila melanogaster

Unknown authors · 2022

Researchers exposed fruit flies to simulated 3.5 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation at intensities of 0.1, 1, and 10 W/m². Exposure increased early pupation and eclosion rates and shortened the mean development time. In larvae, heat shock protein and immune gene expression rose, oxidative stress enzymes increased, and microbial diversity fell while Acetobacter and Lactobacillus genera increased.

WiFi Related Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Promote Transposable Element Dysregulation and Genomic Instability in Drosophila melanogaster

Unknown authors · 2022

Low Strength Magnetic Fields Serve as a Cue for Foraging Honey Bees but Prior Experience is More Indicative of Choice

Unknown authors · 2020

Researchers tested honey bees in three experiments: a sucrose feeder, a flower patch with color-dependent magnetic fields, and a Y-maze with alternating colors on a stronger magnetic field. In free-flying feeder experiments, magnetic field served as a temporary cue, but bees preferred an equal caloric alternative with a weaker magnetic field. Flower patch experiments showed initial color biases were abandoned in response to magnetic field induction, and laboratory experiments revealed a color-dependent behavioral response to the magnetic field.

Electromagnetic field of extremely low frequency has an impact on selected chemical components of the honeybee

Unknown authors · 2020

Researchers aimed to demonstrate the effect of ELF-EMF on selected chemical components of honeybees using FTIR spectroscopy. Honeybees were exposed to 50 Hz EMF at 1.6 mT for durations of 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. FTIR analysis revealed that exposure longer than 2 hours induced changes in the structure of chemical compounds, especially in regions corresponding to DNA, RNA, phospholipids, and protein vibrations, compared to unexposed controls.

Increased aggression and reduced aversive learning in honey bees exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2019

Researchers exposed honey bees for 17 hours to 100 μT or 1000 μT ELF EMFs or a sham control. A sting extension response assay measured aversive learning and an intruder assay measured aggression. Exposure to both field strengths reduced aversive learning performance by over 20%, and exposure to 100 μT increased aggression scores by 60%.

Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMF) on honey bee queen development and mating success

Unknown authors · 2019

Researchers exposed honey bee queen larvae to radiation from a common mobile phone device (GSM band at 900 MHz) during all stages of pre-adult development including pupation. After 14 days of exposure, hatching of adult queens was assessed and mating success after a further 11 days. Mobile phone radiation significantly reduced the hatching ratio but not the mating success. When treated queens successfully mated, colony development was not adversely affected.

Long - term exposure of cockroach Blaptica dubia (Insecta: Blaberidae) nymphs to magnetic fields of different characteristics: Effects on antioxidant biomarkers and nymphal gut mass.

Todorović D et al. · 2019

Researchers exposed one-month-old cockroach Blaptica dubia nymphs to magnetic fields for 5 months across three groups: a control group, a static magnetic field (SMF) group at 110 mT, and an extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF MF) group at 50 Hz and 10 mT. Gut masses were significantly lower in both magnetic field groups compared to the control. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were markedly higher than in the control, while glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were significantly lower in both magnetic field groups. The applied magnetic fields were considered a potential stressor influencing gut mass and the examined antioxidant biomarkers.

Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields impair the Cognitive and Motor Abilities of Honey Bees

Shepherd S et al · 2018

Researchers tested how acute exposure to 50 Hz ELF EMFs at levels ranging from 20–100 µT, found at ground level below powerline conductors, to 1000–7000 µT, found within 1 m of the conductors, affects honey bee olfactory learning, flight, foraging activity and feeding. Exposure reduced learning, altered flight dynamics, and reduced the success of foraging flights towards food sources.

Electromagnetic field exposure (50 Hz) impairs response to noxious heat in American cockroach.

Maliszewska J et al. · 2018

Researchers studied whether a 50 Hz magnetic field affects how American cockroaches respond to noxious heat and alters oxidative stress markers. The exposure was 50 Hz at 7 mT, and the researchers measured how long cockroaches took to escape from high ambient temperature. Escape latency significantly increased after 24 hours, 72 hours, and 7 days of EMF exposure. Malondialdehyde levels increased significantly after 24-hour exposure and remained elevated up to 7 days, while glutathione levels significantly declined after 7 days of exposure.

Magnetoreception Regulates Male Courtship Activity in Drosophila.

Wu CL, Fu TF, Chiang MH, Chang YW, Her JL, Wu T. · 2016

Researchers found that male Drosophila exposed to a static magnetic field of at least 20 Gauss showed significantly increased courtship activity compared with behavior in the natural environment at 0 Gauss. This increase in courtship activity depended on the photoreceptor cryptochrome, as flies lacking CRY did not show an increased courtship index in a magnetic field. Restoring CRY expression in CRY-deficient flies brought back the magnetic-field-related increase in male courtship index.