BBC expert says WiFi fries …
p2pnet.net news: - Will WiFi fry your brain? People are equally vocal on both sides of the question.
UK national broadcaster the BBC recently aired a Panorama investigation called Wi-Fi: a warning signal, prefacing it with the claim that its research, “shows that radio frequency radiation levels in some schools are up to three times the level found in the main beam of intensity from mobile phone masts”.
“Radio frequency radiation” is a little like “copyright violation”. Both phrases look bad, really bad, exactly as they’re meant to. But ‘radiation’ could just as easily be ‘diffusion’ and ‘violation’ could be more accurately be replaced with ‘infringement’.
Radiation levels in some schools, “are up to three times the level found in the main beam of intensity from mobile phone masts”? The implication is this representd extreme danger. But dooes it?
Guardian Unlimited’s Bad Science columnist Ben Goldacre took a look at the Panorama investigation and, “Some of his accusations focused around the programme’s choice of expert – Alasdair Philips, a campaigner who runs Powerwatch and EMFields, a company that sells EMF shielding and monitoring devices,” says Bobbie Johnson.
Philips “posted what he claims is a rebuttal of everything levelled against him and the programme,” but, “Is measuring ‘electrosmog’ 100m from a phone mast and 50cms from a Wi-Fi enabled laptop comparing like with like?” – Johnson wonders, going on:
Why wasn’t it either, say, measured a distance from the wireless router or with somebody using a mobile phone?
I’m no scientist but it seems to me that one is a measure of background noise from a distance and one is listening up close to something active. It’s like standing on top of a bridge listening to the noise of six lanes of traffic whizz past and then comparing it to the noise when you place your ear against a clockwork mechanism and wind it up. One’s going to be louder by design.
Anyway, I digress. One of Powerwatch’s stated aims is “reporting about the known science: to enable the general public to have access to clear, independent information as to the hazards of power frequency and radio frequency electromagnetic fields”.
Reckon they’ve managed it?
Philips certainly thinks so.
“I believe that I have addressed, and dismissed, all the main points of criticism raised by Ben Goldacre,” he states at the end of his rebuttal.
Meanwhile, “His argument is, er, strident but, in my eyes at least, it falls down on the fact that you can buy all manner of expensive anti-Wi-Fi kit via the Powerwatch site,” says Matt Egan on PC Advisor. “These include headnets, beds and snake oil. Alright, there’s no snake oil.
“So there you have it. An argument brewing nicely. I’m no expert (self-styled or not), but it’s Friday evening and I’m off to drink ten pints of 802.11n juice and stick my head in a Wi-Fi router.”
Also See:
fry your brain – UK fears on Wi-Fi in schools, May 21, 2007
BBC – Wi-Fi: a warning signal, May 20, 2007
Guardian Unlimited – The Wi-Fi saga rolls on and on and on, June 1, 2007
PC Advisor – Panorama Wi-Fi boffin bites back, June 1, 2007
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Tired of being treated like a criminal? They depend on you, not the other way around. Don’t buy their ‘product’. Do bug your local politicians. Use emails, snail-mail, phone calls, faxes, IM, stop them in the street, blog. And if you’re into organizing, organize petitions, organize demonstrations and then turn up on your local political rep’s doorstep, making sure you’ve contacted your local tv/radio station/newspaper in advance. Don’t just complain. Do something!
June 2nd, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Next thing you know, people will be whining about using microwaves, and watching TV! (And I wonder how long it would be before the BBC totaly kills that idea?)
Oh dear, with all of these radio waves around us, we may only live to 100, and some of us may not be able to remember PI to the 25th decimal.
Any quack with a name can spread fear about the sky falling, just wondering what will be next…
How about that terrible hyderogen-Dioxide? People are adicted to it all around the world, and it’s taking over our lands!
knock knock, guys!
Just my two cents
June 3rd, 2007 at 1:46 am
pi to 25 decimal places is 3.14159 26535 89793 23846 2643 ….. holy crap the wifi got to me!!!!!
Next thing you know the cell phone people will be purchasing, err I mean lobbying for laws against wifi as it’s potentially harmful ( to their business at least)
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Hydrogen dioxide is H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). Nobody is addicted to it.
I agree with the original argument, but this point is lost on me.
???
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Just don’t forget the most powerful transmitters there is.
Well it comes from broadcast service call Television. Television transmitters are more powerful then Radio, Mobile phones, WiFi.
Must turn off all those TV channels.
Ow did forget there is one thing which is more powerful then Television, Radio, Mobile and WiFi combined. It called the Sun. Must turn off now, making a call to Mr Burns and to get a sun block device.
PS You do now you can watch it at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/6674675.stm
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Sorry, I ment the “evil” Di-Hydrogen Oxide (H20 or water).
People don’t understand it, so it must be bad for you.
Just my two cents
June 4th, 2007 at 11:25 am
LOL
H2O2 is Hydrogen Peroxide.
Hydrogen Dioxide is H2O, commonly known as water.
June 5th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Dihydrogen Monoxide = H2O
DI = 2 parts hydrogen (dihydrogen)
mon = 1 part oxygen (monoxide)