The energy in "even the most energetic portion of the 5G telecommunications band" is still "lower in energy than visible light," he said. "This is an important biological distinction between the two regions of the EMR spectrum." "The propagation of EMR at energies lower than the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum – including visible light and radio waves – is referred to as non-ionizing radiation due to its inability to cause ionization," Bushberg said. Workers are seen on a 5G tower at Shougang Park, one of the sites for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, in Beijing on December 1, 2021. "In this portion of the spectrum – ultraviolet and higher energies – EMR has sufficient energy to strip electrons from the atoms."
"From a biological point of view, the most important difference in the types of EMR occurs when the energy has reached the ultraviolet region of the spectrum and beyond," Jerrold Bushberg, senior vice president at the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, told USA TODAY in an email.
Experts say the term describes several different kinds of energy on the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation. It uses high-frequency radio waves and more closely distributed wireless access points to create faster, more reliable internet connections. In telecommunications, 5G is the fifth-generation cellular network. "I am unaware of any evidence that exposure to 5G emissions has any adverse effects on the immune system," Richard Tell, chair of the Committee on Man and Radiation at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, said in an email. This claim also overreaches, though experts say more research is needed. USA TODAY has previously debunked online claims that 5G is dangerous and that it's linked to the coronavirus. Similar claims have received thousands of interactions on Facebook and Instagram over the past month, according to CrowdTangle, a social media insights tool.Ĭell providers' 5G networks, which promise faster connections, have long been the target of skeptics who say they have negative health effects. The post, which links to a webinar about the "5G & EMF nightmare," accumulated more than 600 shares within 10 days. 16 Facebook post from a page called the Live Better Group. "EMF Radiation from 5G has & will have an enormous impact on your immune system," reads a Jan. The claim: Electromagnetic field radiation from 5G has 'an enormous impact on your immune system'Īs wireless carriers delay the rollout of 5G networks near airports across the USA, some online claim the technology could affect more than just airplanes.