The term "5G" is short for "5th generation wireless systems." Up to 100 times faster than their 4G predecessors, they promise to supercharge the speed of smartphones and other wireless devices. They will start entering service in 2018 and are expected to become widely available in 2020.
The new 5G technology uses both low-band and high-band frequencies. The latter are mostly made up of millimeter waves (MMW), a type of electromagnetic (EM) radiation that will be used by the new network to send and receive massive amounts of data at blistering speeds.
Cell phones send and receive data from nearby cell towers in the form of radio frequency radiation. Heavy exposure to this radiation has been linked to all kinds of medical conditions. Numerous studies have brought up increased risks of cancer, heart disease, and sleep disorders. (Related: Cell phone radiation - is your cell phone killing your sperm?)
MMWs can only reach short distances and find it difficult to go through solid materials. In order to be effective, a 5G network will need many antennas, with estimates of least one antenna for every 10 to 12 houses in urban areas.
The 5G networks will also be using MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) technology, a wireless system that uses many transmitters instead of just a single one. The more transmitters, the more data a MIMO system can send and receive at any time.
The technology is already in use by several 4G transmitter towers. These early examples use four to eight antennas. In comparison, MIMO systems for 5G towers could need up to 100 antennas per tower.
More capacity will need more transmissions, which means a higher dose of EM radiation. This upsurge in EM exposure is expected to increase health risks.
Many studies warn about health risks of MMW radiation from 5G technology
Many scientific studies have uncovered links between MMW frequencies and various negative effects on human health. According to an Israeli study, human sweat ducts act as an array of tiny, helix-shaped antennas when exposed to MMWs. This means the skin doesn't just soak up the EM radiation; it also amplifies the effect of MMWs.
To make matters worse, a separate study on MMWs reported that skin absorbs more than 90 percent of the power transmitted by the waves. Experts are concerned that there will be an increase in the cases of skin cancers and skin diseases in areas with 5G coverage.
The skin is not the only part of our bodies at risk. A Russian study conducted in 2002 exposed lab mice to EM radiation of the same frequency as some MMWs. The researchers reported that the immune systems of the animals were greatly weakened.
A much earlier experiment dating back to 1992 found that MMWs could negatively affect the heart rate of rats. A similar effort that used frogs produced similar results; the animals developed abnormal heartbeat rates or rhythms.
Separate Polish and Japanese studies found that MMWs could also affect the eyes. The former research said that low-level exposure caused the beginnings of cataracts in the eyes of rats, while the latter learned that MMWs can cause various thermal injuries to the organs.
Researchers and health professionals share the concerns of citizens about the health risks of 5G wireless networks. More than 180 experts have urged to delay 5G technology until it could be evaluated by independent researchers.
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