The Collision between Wireless and Biology
Abstract
The Collision between Wireless and Biology Héroux P. The Collision between Wireless and Biology. Heliyon, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42267. Abstract This article examines the historical development of the concept of energy of activation, which has been used in the past to frame the belief that non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is harmless at non- thermal levels. The power and telecommunications industries have used two arguments to support their view that human exposures to non-thermal non-ionizing radiation is inoffensive. First, the radiation is non-ionizing. Second, the energy quanta of the radiation are too weak to overcome the competing energy of thermal motion. Those arguments rest on the Arrhenius equation (1889) and on the concept of energy of activation. Later scientific developments such as the Eyring equation (1935) and the Bennett-Chandler (1977-1978) equation on reaction rates, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, recognized in living systems by Schrödinger as “negentropy”, all undermine these arguments. The Second Law of Thermodynamics supplies the ionization claimed to be lacking, while some biological processes are independent of thermal motion. We contribute a new view of the physics and biology of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation hygiene which explains many epidemiological, toxicological and scientific observations. The health effects of non-thermal non-ionizing radiation presently observed are in fact completely supported by physics. Furthermore, the expansion of wireless data rates is in direct conflict with preservation of a healthy environment. Conclusion Modeling living tissues as sugar/water/salt, or as separate bio-molecular components such as protein, biopolymers and solvated biomolecules excludes the most essential element of the living process, which is the continuous traffic of electrons and protons maintained by metabolism. These currents are required by the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and their vulnerability to NTER [non-thermal electromagnetic radiation] is enhanced by the anatomy of OXPHOS [oxidative phosphorylation]. In a more complete model, and from the principle of superposition, oscillating electric or magnetic fields penetrating from the environment will alter the tissue’s electron and proton currents. These can be far more easily disturbed by external electromagnetic fields than ionic species. To be biologically active, NTER does not need to produce ionized targets or electronic currents itself, but only to disturb those already provided by biology. The present environmental perspective is sad given that a substantial engineering toolbox is available to mitigate NTER exposures: optical fiber, wire twisting, earthing practices, DC power. But a reversal of exposure tendencies will be difficult, as industry has long enjoyed the support of a critical actor, the military. The same wireless communication techniques used to enable maneuverability in war theaters can also be used for high data rate access in civilian environments. Innovations such as 5G are useful to the military. Consequently, the military supports these developments with the goal of achieving superiority over their adversaries in a theater of war (Department of Defense 2020). The alliance between industry and the military certainly has some practical advantages, but it has one major drawback. If your environment is made to mimic a theater of war, it will not be a theater of health. This paper addresses aspects of electron and proton dynamics in living systems. While it raises the subject of telecommunications signals crest factors, it ignores characteristics of common carrier modulations such as GSM and LTE, believed to be of importance in determining health impacts (NTP 2019). Refinement of modulations may minimize biological impacts, with the ultimate goal of controlling enough of those impacts to uncover new modulation schemes capable of reducing major health effects. Open access paper: sciencedirect.com
AI evidence extraction
Main findings
The article argues that historical arguments claiming non-thermal non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is harmless (based on activation energy and thermal motion considerations) are undermined by later developments in reaction-rate theory and by the Second Law of Thermodynamics as applied to living systems. It proposes that oscillating fields can penetrate tissues and disturb biologically maintained electron and proton currents (including those associated with oxidative phosphorylation), and asserts that observed non-thermal health effects are supported by physics. It further contends that increasing wireless data rates conflicts with preserving a healthy environment and notes engineering options to mitigate exposures.
Outcomes measured
- Health effects of non-thermal non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (general)
- Biological mechanisms involving electron and proton currents (e.g., OXPHOS)
- Environmental exposure trends related to wireless data rates
Limitations
- Appears to be a conceptual/theoretical argument rather than an empirical study (no specific study methods, datasets, or quantitative results described in the abstract).
- No exposure metrics (frequency, intensity, SAR) or specific health endpoints are specified in the abstract.
- The paper notes it ignores characteristics of common carrier modulations such as GSM and LTE that are believed to be important for health impacts, indicating incomplete treatment of signal characteristics.
Suggested hubs
-
5g-policy
(0.62) Discusses 5G innovations and argues expanding wireless data rates conflict with a healthy environment.
View raw extracted JSON
{
"publication_year": null,
"study_type": "review",
"exposure": {
"band": null,
"source": "wireless/telecommunications signals (general)",
"frequency_mhz": null,
"sar_wkg": null,
"duration": null
},
"population": null,
"sample_size": null,
"outcomes": [
"Health effects of non-thermal non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (general)",
"Biological mechanisms involving electron and proton currents (e.g., OXPHOS)",
"Environmental exposure trends related to wireless data rates"
],
"main_findings": "The article argues that historical arguments claiming non-thermal non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is harmless (based on activation energy and thermal motion considerations) are undermined by later developments in reaction-rate theory and by the Second Law of Thermodynamics as applied to living systems. It proposes that oscillating fields can penetrate tissues and disturb biologically maintained electron and proton currents (including those associated with oxidative phosphorylation), and asserts that observed non-thermal health effects are supported by physics. It further contends that increasing wireless data rates conflicts with preserving a healthy environment and notes engineering options to mitigate exposures.",
"effect_direction": "harm",
"limitations": [
"Appears to be a conceptual/theoretical argument rather than an empirical study (no specific study methods, datasets, or quantitative results described in the abstract).",
"No exposure metrics (frequency, intensity, SAR) or specific health endpoints are specified in the abstract.",
"The paper notes it ignores characteristics of common carrier modulations such as GSM and LTE that are believed to be important for health impacts, indicating incomplete treatment of signal characteristics."
],
"evidence_strength": "low",
"confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
"peer_reviewed_likely": "unknown",
"stance": "concern",
"stance_confidence": 0.85999999999999998667732370449812151491641998291015625,
"summary": "This article reviews historical and theoretical arguments used to claim non-thermal non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is harmless and argues these are undermined by later developments in reaction-rate theory and thermodynamics. It proposes that environmental oscillating fields can disturb metabolically maintained electron and proton currents in living tissues (including processes linked to OXPHOS), and asserts that observed non-thermal health effects are supported by physics. The authors also argue that expanding wireless data rates conflicts with maintaining a healthy environment and discuss engineering approaches to reduce exposures.",
"key_points": [
"Frames prior safety arguments around non-ionizing status and insufficient photon energy as relying on Arrhenius/activation-energy concepts.",
"Claims later scientific developments (e.g., Eyring, Bennett-Chandler, and thermodynamics/\"negentropy\") undermine those arguments for living systems.",
"Proposes that external oscillating electric/magnetic fields can alter tissue electron and proton currents maintained by metabolism.",
"Highlights oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) anatomy as potentially increasing vulnerability of these currents to non-thermal EMR.",
"Asserts that non-thermal EMR need not create ionization or currents, only disturb those already present in biology.",
"Argues that increasing wireless data rates is in conflict with preserving a healthy environment.",
"Notes mitigation tools (e.g., optical fiber, wire twisting, earthing, DC power) but suggests reversing exposure trends may be difficult.",
"States the paper raises crest factors but does not address GSM/LTE modulation characteristics believed to matter for health impacts."
],
"categories": [
"Mechanisms",
"Policy & Precaution",
"Exposure Mitigation"
],
"tags": [
"Non-Thermal EMR",
"Non-Ionizing Radiation",
"Activation Energy",
"Arrhenius Equation",
"Eyring Equation",
"Second Law Of Thermodynamics",
"Negentropy",
"Electron Transport",
"Proton Currents",
"Oxidative Phosphorylation",
"Wireless Data Rates",
"Exposure Mitigation",
"Telecommunications Signals",
"Crest Factor",
"Military Influence"
],
"keywords": [
"non-thermal non-ionizing radiation",
"activation energy",
"Arrhenius equation",
"Eyring equation",
"Bennett-Chandler equation",
"Second Law of Thermodynamics",
"negentropy",
"electron currents",
"proton currents",
"oxidative phosphorylation",
"wireless",
"telecommunications signals"
],
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{
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"weight": 0.61999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875,
"reason": "Discusses 5G innovations and argues expanding wireless data rates conflict with a healthy environment."
}
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"social": {
"tweet": "Review argues classic activation-energy arguments for non-thermal non-ionizing EMR safety are undermined by later reaction-rate theory and thermodynamics, proposing fields may disturb biologically maintained electron/proton currents (e.g., OXPHOS) and that rising wireless data rates conflict with a healthy environment.",
"facebook": "This open-access article reviews historical arguments used to claim non-thermal non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is harmless and argues later developments in reaction-rate theory and thermodynamics undermine them. It proposes that environmental fields can disturb metabolically maintained electron and proton currents in tissues (including processes linked to oxidative phosphorylation) and contends that increasing wireless data rates conflicts with preserving a healthy environment.",
"linkedin": "Conceptual review challenging traditional activation-energy/thermal-motion arguments for non-thermal non-ionizing EMR safety. It proposes a mechanism centered on disturbance of metabolically maintained electron and proton currents (including OXPHOS) and argues that expanding wireless data rates may conflict with maintaining a healthy environment, while noting engineering options to mitigate exposures."
}
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.
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