The Mysteries of 5G
By Jana Haas; University of Maryland, College Park
What do we know about 5G?
https://www.reply.com/en/topics/digital-branding/5g-and-vr
5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology was launched in 2019; it is expected to be in full effect by 2025. Its purpose is to accommodate the demand for large and fast-moving amounts of data being used today. The goal of 5G is to wirelessly connect the world through technology. In doing so it connects numerous devices like applications in homes, the Internet of Things, and computer networks that can process a high capacity of data (low latency) such as data for automated vehicles.
Along with this increased connection comes several benefits for communities, businesses, and new technologies. Communities will profit from 5G because of the increased connectivity that will be permitted through smart devices in the education system, in homes, with transportation, in health care, and through safety measures. By accessing mass data, businesses will also benefit as they will have the means to perform research as necessary with data already available. Lastly, 5G will be a great support system for new and developing technologies. These technologies will be readily accessible to everyone in one’s everyday life, such as virtual reality (5G Explained).
What are the impacts of 5G on humans, the environment, and wildlife?
There has been a great amount of research performed on 5G but since it is still so new the evidence is currently inconclusive which could lead to serious concerns about the potential consequence of the technology. Some of the results have led the conclusion that 5G has a potentially negative impact on humans, the environment, and wildlife. However, we must keep in mind there are still a number of barriers to acquiring a thorough comprehension of the new generation of technology.
https://www.5gradar.com/features/5g-dangers-discover-the-fact-and-the-fiction
The dangers of 5G are brought upon by the low, mid and high-band frequencies on the radio frequency spectrum. This raises concerns because 5G uses millimeter waves which derive from the high-band frequencies. 5G lies along the spectrum with microwaves and infrared waves. Astrophysicists, Dr. Ethan Siegel explains that a source of radiation is dangerous when there is a high amount of total energy per photon, but the ones connected with the radio spectrum are not high enough to cause cancer as our bodies do not retain it (Brittain).
https://mdsafetech.org/environmental-and-wildlife-effects/
Although research is concluding that the dangers of 5G are not of concern for humans, are they different for the environment and the wildlife which inhabits various ecosystems? Each species has a different interaction with their environment; this could potentially cause a downfall in the overall health of species. The earth’s magnetic field plays a large role in the lives of animals for navigating, breeding, feeding, migrating, and surviving. It has been discovered by biologists that electromagnetic radiation used in 5G has caused disarray with the “internal magneto-receptors used for navigation, as well as disrupting other complex cellular and biologic processes in mammals, birds, fish, insects, trees, plants, seeds and bacteria with profound impacts on the natural environment. (Environment and Wildlife Effects).
Wildlife is being left more vulnerable with the increases with wireless radiation. Some of these species being affected include birds, bees, turtles, dolphins, salamanders, salmon, amphibians. They use the earth’s magnetic fields and their internal magneto-receptors to navigate. For example, insects are especially susceptible to the 5G frequencies as the radiofrequency waves and magnetic field can affect them in several ways. Some potential changes which could occur based on a study on the Exposure of Insect to Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields from 2 to 120 GHz (1G to 5G) performed in 2018 are “behavior, physiology, and morphology over time due to an increase in body temperatures, from dielectric heating”. With deeper investigation performed by scientists, they have discovered what some of the other causes maybe be such as, pesticides, global climate change, and are beginning to discover research aimed at microwave radiation as a significant influencing factor. Like the effects of 5G on humans, the effect on not only bees, but the other species are still being researched to discover its true impact. (Environment and Wildlife Effects).
Being a new phenomenon, 5G technology still has considerable unknowns and only time will be able to answer important questions about its safety– we should be very careful before accepting any new technology when we don’t know the environmental consequences of embracing it.
Bibliography
“5G As a Boost for Virtual Reality.” 5G As a Boost for Virtual Reality, 2020, www.reply.com/en/topics/digital-branding/5g-and-vr.
“5G Explained – How 5G Works.” EMF, www.emfexplained.info/?ID=25916.
Brittain, Nicola. “4G Vs 5G: Discover the Key Differences.” 5Gradar, 5Gradar, 29 Feb. 2020, www.5gradar.com/features/4g-vs-5g-discover-the-key-differences.
Brittain, Nicola. “5G Dangers: Discover the Fact and the Fiction.” 5Gradar, 5Gradar, 26 Feb. 2020, www.5gradar.com/features/5g-dangers-discover-the-fact-and-the-fiction.
“Environment and Wildlife Effects.” Physicians for Safe Technology, 25 Feb. 2020, mdsafetech.org/environmental-and-wildlife-effects/
