In Our Rush Towards A 5G Future, Have We Stopped And Asked If It's Dangerous?

We're just about ready to start adopting 5G, setting up the infrastructure needed for that. Smartphone makers have already started releasing 5G-capable devices and the like.

But have we really considered all the dangers of the technology?

What's the holdup?

Not everyone believes 5G is perfectly safe. Many are concerned that the very high-frequency spectrum it uses, called millimeter wavelengths could have adverse health effects. Belgium, for instance, halted a 5G test in Brussels just this April, over concerns that the base stations emit harmful radiation. In the Netherlands, members of parliament also want the government to take a closer look at the technology before approving trials. Switzerland is also monitoring such trials closely in order to assuage the public.

What's changed?

These kinds of worries aren't new. In fact, we've been worrying about radiation from household devices since long before cell phones. Remember that paranoia about microwaves? People are worried it causes everything from cancer, to infertility, to migraines, and more. The reason people are worried even more about 5G though, is mainly because it requires many smaller towers closer together. That means cell towers around people's homes, schools, and offices. So without pertinent clarification, of course they're worried.

Is 5G really bad for you?

Back in 2011, the World Health Organisation came out and said that cellphones radiation might cause some brain cancers. However, till date, there haven't been any credible links between cellphone radiation and illnesses or disease, though there have been suggested possibilities

Rats and radiation

For instance, one study last year looked at rats exposed to this kind of radiation for extended periods. They did find that the male rats in the study showed an increase in heart tumours after being exposed to radiation from mobiles. The only problem is, this was at exceptionally high levels of exposure for their body mass, much more than is permitted for device manufacturers.

How is the radiation bad?

Radiation of bigger wavelengths with lower frequencies are less powerful. What you really have to worry about is radiation on the higher end of the spectrum, called ionizing radiation. This includes ultraviolet rays from the Sun, X-rays and gamma rays. Ionizing radiation is capable of destabilizing your DNA, which is what leads to cancer. On the other hand, non-ionizing radiation, like from your radio, TV, and cellphone doesn't have enough energy to do that

Are those safety standards... safe?

Well, yes and no. You see, safety standards for manufacturers of smartphones are quite robust. They ensure that all released devices are up to par. The problem is, a lot of them haven't been updated in decades. Even the FCC in the US hasn't revised its standards since 1996. So there is a chance they're severely outdated. However, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has reviewed the standard, and feels it needs no change, so there's that.

So there is a chance

Ultimately, yeah. Some experts argue that 5G radiation may not directly attack cell DNA, but they could very well have a different biological effect on us. The problem is, no one has really done that kind of exhaustive research. Most of them wouldn't know where to start. After all, how do you check for a negative effect you haven't even foreseen yet? Additionally, 5G is very different from the 3G and 4G that came before it.

We can't halt 5G, the benefits of it are too great. A compromise then would be to also fund more research into the technology, to figure out if there indeed are any health detriments to be aware of. Because without that, we're just peddling the same rumours again with no evidence to prove them.

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