news, latest-news,
People shouldn't fear the coming rollout of 5th generation mobile telecommunications, known as 5G, because higher frequencies are less likely to penetrate human bodies than the existing 3G and 4G frequencies. That's the advice from Dr Sarah Loughran, Director of the Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research at the University of Wollongong, Dr Loughran said there was no evidence the existing frequencies did any harm to humans. "Initially 5G will likely run at similar frequencies as 4G," Dr Loughran said. "But the difference is it's going to use high frequencies than what 3G and 4G have been using. "A lot of people equate high frequencies with higher exposure - but that's not the case. "The high frequency doesn't travel as far, which also means it doesn't penetrate as far into our bodies as the lower frequencies that have been used in the past. "So exposures tend to be more superficial and on a skin level, than deep in to our tissues and organs." With 5G waves travelling less far, more antennas and base stations would be needed. While this may have an visual effect at street level, Dr Loughran said they will run at less power, making them cooler. "There's definitely public concern [but] there really wasn't ever scientific concern," she said. "It's quite controversial and I can see that increasing in the near future. There's a lot of activism - stop rallies and things like that. But I'm definitely trying to put the message out that there's isn't a need to be concerned. "There's extensive research on radio frequency fields, we know how they interact with the body, and we know how it works. There's no established health effects from these frequencies at these power levels." Dr Loughran said even in a "worst case scenario", people receive much more radiation exposure from phones near their head, than from any antenna. "But even that exposure is many times below what the international and national safety limits are," she said. "So it's not like we're even getting close to those either."
https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/dc5syd-6lj8fibomd41goisnlk.jpg/r0_102_5184_3031_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
July 20 2019 - 12:30PM
5G frequencies 'less likely' to penetrate bodies - UOW expert
Ben Langford
EXPERTISE: Sarah Loughran with PhD candidate Adam Verrender in 2015.
People shouldn't fear the coming rollout of 5th generation mobile telecommunications, known as 5G, because higher frequencies are less likely to penetrate human bodies than the existing 3G and 4G frequencies.
That's the advice from Dr Sarah Loughran, Director of the Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research at the University of Wollongong,
Dr Loughran said there was no evidence the existing frequencies did any harm to humans.
"Initially 5G will likely run at similar frequencies as 4G," Dr Loughran said.
"But the difference is it's going to use high frequencies than what 3G and 4G have been using.
"A lot of people equate high frequencies with higher exposure - but that's not the case.
"The high frequency doesn't travel as far, which also means it doesn't penetrate as far into our bodies as the lower frequencies that have been used in the past.
"So exposures tend to be more superficial and on a skin level, than deep in to our tissues and organs."
With 5G waves travelling less far, more antennas and base stations would be needed. While this may have an visual effect at street level, Dr Loughran said they will run at less power, making them cooler.
"There's definitely public concern [but] there really wasn't ever scientific concern," she said.
"It's quite controversial and I can see that increasing in the near future. There's a lot of activism - stop rallies and things like that. But I'm definitely trying to put the message out that there's isn't a need to be concerned.
"There's extensive research on radio frequency fields, we know how they interact with the body, and we know how it works. There's no established health effects from these frequencies at these power levels."
Dr Loughran said even in a "worst case scenario", people receive much more radiation exposure from phones near their head, than from any antenna.
"But even that exposure is many times below what the international and national safety limits are," she said. "So it's not like we're even getting close to those either."
Subscribe to our newsletters for breaking news alerts and more