German and Luxemburg Environmental Organizations Release Report on the Impact of Wireless Communications to Insects
Analysis of 72 of 83 peer reviewed published studies found effects. Report highlights possible negative influence on orientation, reproduction and foraging.
The Luxembourg environmental organizations AKUT, NABU Baden-Württemberg and environmental and consumer organization diagnose:funk released a report on the impacts to insects from wireless and non ionizing electromagnetic radiation. They found that 72 of 83 peer reviewed published studies found effects.
A current survey of the “biological effects of electromagnetic fields on insects” by high voltage, mobile communications and WLAN comes to the conclusion that, in addition to pesticides and the loss of habitats, mobile communications radiation also has negative effects on insects and is therefore another factor in weakening the insect world . The analysis was carried out by the biologist and environmental scientist Alain Thill on behalf of the environmental and consumer organization diagnose: funk, the NABU Baden-Württemberg and the Luxembourg environmental organization AKUT.
Biological effects of electromagnetic fields on insects by Alain Thill
- Link to the study in English here
- Link to the study in German here.
- Read the full Press Release at baden-wuerttemberg.nabu.de
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Clarification of the Review “Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (German) Klarstellung zum Review ” Biologische Wirkungen elektromagnetischer Felder auf Insekten“ Heftige Debatte um die Insektenstudie
Highlights of the Research Study Review
- Researchers identified 83 scientific publications of sufficient quality on the issue after reviewing 190 studies in a literature search
- 72 of 83 studies found effects from electromagnetic radiation on insects.
- All of the studies analyzed are peer-reviewed.
“Cell phone and WiFi radiation in particular seem to cause the cells’ calcium channels to open, so that more calcium ions flow in. Calcium is an important messenger substance that triggers a biochemical chain reaction that leads to oxidative cell stress in insects. As a result, the sense of direction is restricted and the ability to reproduce decreases. In addition, the day-night rhythm is disturbed and the immune system is incorrectly activated. Studies from Greece also show that cell phone radiation is significantly more harmful than the 50 Hertz magnetic field from a high-voltage line.”
Read the full Press Release at baden-wuerttemberg.nabu.de
Excerpts from the press release
“This overview shows that the effect of mobile phone radiation on the environment is often underestimated, ”says NABU state chairman Johannes Enssle.
“It is alarming that even low levels of radiation far below the limit values can damage insects…The environmental authorities in Germany, especially Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze, must now draw conclusions from the results of this study: The habitats of insects must be protected from cell phone radiation!” -Peter Hensinger, deputy chairman of diagnose: funk and head of the science department
“The biologist Prof. Herbert Zucchi from the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, one of the leading experts in the field of insects and electromagnetic fields, rates the review as very thorough work, which gives entomologists a good overview of the current state of knowledge.”
Thill_Review_Insects_2020_Engl
