Peter Cochrane: 5G is bad for our health - not!

Conspiracy theorists are misinterpreting the scientific evidence, pick'n'mixing to arrive at their desired conclusion with disastrous consequences for emergency services

Every scientific paper that I have seen concerned with the adverse effects of wireless on humans and organisms, under the broad banner of EM radiation, employs words like might, could, possibly, perhaps, and we think, it seems and so on. Many also end with that fateful phrase ‘further study is required,' which I presume is a prelude to yet another grant application.

As far as I have seen, none of the hundreds of such publications presents concrete statements, demonstrations or conclusions of any danger to human health. There is simply no real or verifiable risk in evidence.

Now a small detail, which may have helped fuel the conspiracy fires. Most studies employ energy densities far in excess of those in use in any of our wireless communication systems - they have to in order to demonstrate small biological changes. But they then proceed to extrapolate down to the far lower energy levels than are actually allowed in our wireless systems. The basis of the extrapolations tends to be linear simplifications of fundamentally exponential mechanisms, which makes tissue damage appear more likely at low intensities than it actually is! This is just one of many fundamental errors present in some papers, but more worrying is the lack of corroboration between groups of these bona fide researchers. This, together with the cautious language of science, only provides ammunition for those determined to draw their own conclusion.

The plot thickens

Compounding this is the increasing number of pseudo-scientific papers published by people with impressive-looking CVs in various magazines and dubious online publications, and oft-quoted as evidence by the already convinced, easily convinced, or needing to be convinced.

Every one of these I have investigated has been nonsense, non-science or neo-science, combining belief, misconception, falsehoods and erroneous claims sans fact-checking or corroboration. What a travesty!

Now to some impressive empiricism: at no cell site, WiFi-hub, microwave repeater station or radar facility I have visited have I witnessed dead insects, birds, mice or rats on or around the antennae or tower base. Further, there has been no recorded damage to humans using handheld or vehicle-mounted walkie talkies or man-pack radios over the past 70 years… apart from back strain that is!

Mobile technology has saved countless lives and lifted people out of poverty all over the planet

The other side of the coin: mobile technology has saved countless lives and lifted people out of poverty all over the planet. 5G and what follows will accelerate all this through low latency enabling telemedicine, telecare, telesurgery, telerobotics and tele-manufacturing. Now, if only the single-issue thinkers could balance the proven good against some (still) fictitious danger they may, just may, be able to stop panicking about a non-problem and think rationally.

Planet-wide spread of a crazy meme

Now to the extremists and crazies burning down cell sites in the UK. All the 5G systems currently being installed use similar frequencies to current 3/4G and Wi-Fi hubs. Indeed, all microwave links and hubs, satellite broadcast, links and services and radar systems operate in the frequency domains they worry about. I think we can safely say that none of this technology magically created and propagated CV-19.

So, how are their actions working out? They are most likely killing people!

So, how are their actions working out? They are most likely killing people! The loss of cell sites will prevent 999 calls, delay ambulances and fire service dispatch and control, and worse, disable sectors of the national emergency services network.

How did all this madness get started? The rantings of a deranged, ignorant crazy in the USA purporting to be a scientific expert appears to be the point of nucleation. In the home of the brave and land of the paranoid, where Mary on FaceBook is an authority on everything and must be believed, where science has little or no value - until there is a pandemic or a war - this movement sparked a social media campaign and the planet-wide spread of another crazy meme got underway.

Sad to say that all this has now been picked up by uneducated vandals in the UK. But don't worry. Next month they will be chasing the next big threat!

Professor Peter Cochrane OBE is the former CTO of BT, who now works as a consultant focusing on solving problems and improving the world through the application of technology. He is also a professor at the University of Suffolk's School of Science, Technology and Engineering