More and more schools in South Africa are becoming "tablet schools," adopting the newest wireless technology in an effort to give their students the greatest advantage in an ever-challenging world. While technology in education is important, the long-term safety of wireless technology has never been established. In fact, there are already more than 5,000 studies verifying the negative biological effects of electromagnetic fields, as emitted by cell phones, tablets, laptops, WiFi trasmitters, and cell towers. Despite the lack of studies proving safety, many schools have incorporated wireless technology without considering the future health effects on children, as well as teachers and staff. Fortunately, studies are now being published specifically documenting the harmful effects of WiFi, to allow parents and schools to make an informed decision about wireless technology in their schools. The following is a brief summary of just a few of these important studies:1. Neurodegenerative Disease: A study published in 2015 exposed rats to WiFi for 24 hours a day for one year, and compared their brains to a group that were not exposed. The researchers concluded that long-term WiFi exposure "may lead to adverse effects such as neurodegenerative disease," which includes Alzheimer's.
2. Brain Physiology, Heart Function, and DNA Damage: Various studies have shown a wide range of disturbing effects and have been published in peer-reviewed, scientific journals, including altering voltage-gated calcium channels, heart rate variablitiy, and damage to sperm DNA. A 2015 study found that exposure to WiFi signals had a negative effect on heart function in rabbits, concluding "that exposure to WiFi affects heart rhythm, blood pressure, and catecholamines efficacy."
3. Neurobehavioural Problems: A study just recently published in the journal Behavioral Brain Research found that WiFi exposure to rats while still in their mother's womb "adversely affected offspring neurodevelopment and behavior in adulthood."
These laboratory studies show the definite short-term effects of chronic exposure to WiFi, but the long-term effects are even more serious, which includes increased risk of cancer. All electromagnetic frequency radiation, including WiFi, was classified as a class 2b carcinogen (possibly causes cancer) in 2011 by the World Health Organization. Today, less than 15 years since the wide-spread implementation of wireless devices, brain tumors are the most common type of cancer among children and teenagers, in the U.S. and U.K.
Dr. Lennart Hardell, an oncologist and researcher from Sweden, recently said, "With respect to health implications of digital (wireless) technologies, it is of importance that neurological diseases, physiological addiction, cognition, sleep, and behavioral problems are considered in addition to cancer." According to Dr. Martin Blank, from Columbia University, "The rollout of WiFi in schools is still very new -- too recent for any large-scale health impacts to have been reported. So the epidemiological science demonstrating health effects in children from exposure to WiFi does not yet exist and may not for decades. However, laboratory studies have clearly indicated potentially harmful changes that argue strongly for precautionary measures."
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| WiFi uses microwaves in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency range, the same as cordless phones and microwave ovens. However, microwave ovens use a lot more power inside a shielded oven. http://www.wifi-in-schools-australia.org/p/blog-page_27.html |
Fortunately, there is a solution to this dilemma of providing state of the art education, while keeping children safe; by simply connecting devices to wired internet connections, children would no longer be exposed to electromagnetic radiation from the devices directly in front of them, along with the WiFi transmitters.
Unfortunately, the mainstream media, government, and schools are relying on industry-funded studies to decide the safety of all wireless technology. I encourage you to research this very important issue and decide for yourself.
- By Dr. S. J. Nana
drsjnana@gmail.com
The following articles and webistes will help:
Environmental Health Trust: WiFi in Schools
Top Ten Facts about Wi-Fi in School
WiFi In Schools
Worldwide Countries Taking Action
WIFI-Free Schools
Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D.: Recent Research on WiFi Effects
Get Microwave-Transmitted WI-FI Out Of Schools—Use Hard-Wired Connections Instead
This short video summarizes this issue and also shows a practical solution:
Please see my previous articles about this overlooked environmental health hazard:
How Cell Phones and WiFi Harm Your Brain
Limit Your Electro-Smog Exposure
Videos Showing Wireless Radiation Effects
Cell Phone Safety Tips from AAP
Are Cell Phone Towers Harming You?
Pregnancy and Wireless Radiation
