Enabling Wi-fi but disabling health?

It affects overall health, and brain especially, among children

State IT Minister KT Rama Rao said that the background work related to finalising and rolling out the Wi-Fi enabled 4G network in the city is going on in full swing. “We will be the first city to roll out such a high-end facility for mobile phone users in the country. Now, it’s up to the mobile manufacturers to step up and offer affordable 4G enabled handsets,” he said.

But has the minister given a thought to the impact of the same on the health of citizens and the environment?

Wi-Fi is convenient but many have raised doubts concerning the safety of unseen forces that permeate everything around us. Since the introduction of Wi-Fi in 1997, researchers have performed dozens of studies to explore the subject. The results are clear and shocking — Wi-Fi can negatively affect overall health and brain health especially among children.

Perhaps more shocking is that this information is not new. In fact in 2008, well-renowned publication Scientific American ran a piece called “Mind Control by Cell Phone”, which explained the danger Wi-Fi has on the human brain.

Many people are still unperturbed by the possible consequences of exposure to mobile phones, wireless networks and other radiation producing apparatuses. With the exception, of course, of those people who have acute complaints and are quite aware of their effects. That is, however, a small group.

The Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) emitted from mobile towers is so powerful that it affects the biological systems of birds, insects, and even humans. The study, released by the environment ministry, called for the protection of flora and fauna by law. The review of existing literature shows that the EMRs are interfering with the biological systems in more ways than one and there have already been some warning bells sounded in the case of bees and birds, which heralds the seriousness of this issue and indicates the vulnerability of other species as well.

Electromagnetic radiation may play a role in the decline of animal and insect populations. Of the 919 studies, a staggering 593 showed the negative impact of mobile towers on birds, bees, humans, wildlife and plants. The experts even cited an international study that pinpointed cellphone towers as a potential cause in the decline of animal populations. They went on to say that there was an urgent need to focus more scientific attention on the subject before it was too late.

“It’s been suggested that sleeping near a phone, in a home with Wi-Fi, or in an apartment building with many Wi-Fi signals can create chronic sleep problems as the constant bombardment of Wi-Fi pollution interferes with sleep patterns. Exposure to non-thermal radio frequency radiation from Wi-Fi and cellular phones can disrupt normal cellular development, especially fetal development,” according to a study in AIIMS, New Delhi. Research has found exposure to Wi-Fi frequencies reduce sperm movement and cause DNA fragmentation. Both human and animal testing has confirmed that exposure negatively affects sperm, according to the health magazine wellness. And, it’s not just sperm. The results of an animal study suggest that some wireless frequencies may prevent egg implantation. The cellular damage and impact on DNA structure from exposure suggests a strong possibility of abnormal pregnancy or failure of the egg to implant.