Most studies suggest it is not. However, I found this one that seems to suggest they are, but I'm not confident enough... Here's the synopsis: "Human fibroblasts from a 6-yr old, 14-yr old, 28-yr old, 43-yr old, 56-yr old and an 81-yr old were exposed to 50-Hz ELF at 10 G (five minutes on / 10 minutes off) for one to 24 hours in a two x four-coil setups in a mu-metal box. Significant dose- and time-dependent DNA strand breaks were reported via comet assay, with the maximum observed in the 15- to 19-hour exposure range in cells from older donors. Additional follow-up studies were performed in lymphocyte and monocyte cells in culture using a 50 Hz exposure at 1 mT (5 min on, 10 min off) for 0-24 hours. The authors report significant effects of exposure on single and double strand breaks in human fibroblasts, melanocytes, and rat granulosa cells but no effects in human lymphocytes (stimulated or unstimulated), human monocytes, and skeletal muscle cells. The authors speculate that reactive oxygen species may be involved, and differences in cell sensitivity may reflect cell-specific anitoxidant capacity. the authors also indicate that effects occured at magnetic flux densities below ICNIRP guidelines, and were not the result of temperature artifacts." http://www.who.int/peh-emf/research/database/studychart/viewstudy.cfm?ID=1077 What I'm unsure about is how relevant this study is considering the cells in the study seem to have been directly exposed to EMF, whereas our cells are "shielded" by our skin. So the questions are, have they been directly exposed, and if so, are our epidermic cells strong enough to sustain EMFs? :scratchin: (I wanna buy a bluetooth thingy, that's why I'm pondering... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! )
For comparison of the field strength involved, the Earth's magnetic field has a constant strength of about 0.5 G (Gauss). From above, this study apparently used EM waves at 10 G, 20 times higher than the Earth's normal field. What I wonder is what the "normal" rate of "single and double strand breaks in human fibroblasts" is. In other words, how far is the observed effect about what would be expected in the absence of the EM radiation? Perhaps this is in the article. I haven't read it.
