Electromagnetic Fields

de Martin Blank

Human beings live and work in a complex electromagnetic environment. Low-energy, nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are produced daily by the power distribution lines, video-display terminals, and home appliances that define the modern technological landscape, but no one knows precisely how these fields interact with living systems. Cross-disciplinary research suggests that human exposure to low-energy EMFs can stimulate cellular biosynthesis in both harmful and beneficial ways. Thus, epidemiological studies suggest that children living near electric power lines have an increased risk of leukemia, and clinical studies show that low-energy, pulsed EMFs accelerate healing of bone fractures. The mechanisms underlying these effects are not yet understood, but in vitro studies show that low-energy EMFs induce changes in protein syntheses that are similar to the stress response found normally in all cells. This 26-chapter book provides a comprehensive survey of the multifaceted issues raised by environmental EMFs by looking at physical and biological fundamentals of EMFs, health risks and benefits of exposure, and biophysical and biochemical mechanisms of interaction. Identifying these mechanisms is an exciting area of research that could help control the potential exposure risks and harness the untold therapeutic benefits of low-energy EMFs.