Health risks and hazards of 5G radiation: Decoding the deconstructing the bogey around 5G radiation. 

We get asked many times over – Is 5G safe? Are EMF radiation emissions harmful at this level? Is 5G dangerous? Will 5G have more health hazards then 4G? Are the energy waves needed in 5G technology dangerous to humans? What are the Health risks and hazards of 5G radiation?

In this blog, we try giving an honest answer to this question

Asking the right question

If you Google about Health risks and hazards of 5G radiation., most of the answers that you will get are approximate and convenient versions of truth. We say this because, most of the answers miss the operative word – “Frequency”. The question – “Is 5G safe?” by itself is a incomplete one. A more correct and relevant question would be – Is 5G at XXX GHz frequency safe? And then again, you would need to qualify “safe”. So an appropriate question would be: Is 5G at XXX GHz frequency safe for (Target group individual)? Target groups could be pregnant ladies, babies, kids, seniors, adults etc.

For instance: Is 5G at 3.75GHz frequency safe for kids? or Is 5G at 700MHz frequency safe for pregnant ladies?

Please bear in mind, we have used 2 operative descriptors – Frequency and Target Group. You could add distance as an operative descriptor as well, if you are good with complexity.

Understanding 5G

5G simply stands for 5th generation – which is technically superior than previous generations. 5G will officially launch across the world by 2020. Generations here refer to epochal changes in technology and the product (connectivity). Every consequent generation is a step up on packet data speed (network access), number of simultaneous connections (connectivity) and energy efficiency per unit metric. Just because the technology descriptor numeric is increasing – it does not mean that radiation is also increasing. It does not also mean that it is linearly decreasing. Generalizations are in vain because there are multiple other factors that effect 5G as radiation.

5G telecommunication will be characterized by

1. High network capacity (supporting a very dense crowd of users and IoT devices)
2. Very high quanta rates (10GBps data speeds)
3. Energy and cost efficiency

A key consideration in the health risks posed by 5G technology is the use of millimeter waves. These are characterized by high frequency radiation (3-300GHz).  The millimeter waves provide high capacity to the network. However, millimeter waves provide a low coverage to telecommunication network. Therefore, to extend the 5G telecommunication networks, there will be a lot of small cell sites that will need to be erected. It is widely feared that such an extensive network will create very high level of radiation in the surrounding environment. That is true in part.

However, in our assessment of such small cells we see them to be operating at levels which are 20 times smaller than current cell. Therefore, for a unit area, we will see more 5G antennas with smaller radiation, as against, 1 large antenna with very high radiation. How would this impact societal health will also be contingent upon a lot of factors such as line of sight, concrete walls etc.

Radiation penetration through human body tissue

Frequency and wavelength are key physical properties of Radiation. They are inversely related to each other. Frequency increase leads to wavelength decrease and vice versa.

Depth of penetration depends on the frequency of the microwave radiation and the tissue type. Lower frequencies penetrate deeper into the body. Whereas higher frequencies penetrate lesser into the body.

Therefore, lower frequencies (less than 1GHz frequency) penetrate deep and dissipate their energy on a greater depth of body muscle, tissue and mass. The energy dissipation per unit body area is lower – and the penetration per body area is higher.

3.75GHz radiation carries lower energy and penetrates only the top epidermis levels and its energy dissipates. At this level, there are more nerve endings – which therefore provide the sensation of heat or uneasiness. Lower frequencies penetrate deeper into the tissue which have fewer nerve endings in deeper-located parts of the body.Therefore, the effects of the radio frequency waves (and the damage caused) may not be immediately noticeable.In way of numbers, 2.45GHz frequency can penetrate 17mm of muscle tissue where as 3.75GHz can penetrate around 13mm

RADAR at much higher frequencies – loses all energy at the skin surface – thereby giving RADAR burn or Red skin patches

Is 5G safe? Health risks and hazards of 5G radiation.

We come back to the operatives here – frequency. Thus, 5G radiation at lower frequency can penetrate deeper into human tissues. Whereas, as frequency increases, 5G radiation dissipates faster and penetrates lesser into tissues.

In terms of Health risks and hazards of 5G radiation., 5G radiation (at lower frequency) penetrating deeper is more capable of disrupting critical body functions. That is why, 5G at lower frequency is more dangerous for a developing foetus or heart patients. 5G radiation (at higher frequency) tends to feel warm on the skin because most of the energy is dissipated at a more shallow tissue area. Therefore, 5G at higher frequency feels more painful – but 5G at lower frequency is actually more harmful.’

Conclusion

To answer the question “Is 5G Safe?” or “Is 5G harmful?” – no radiation in excess quantity is safe or advisable. The two keys to treating radiation responsibly.

• Reducing (time) length of exposure
• Increasing distance from the source

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