The Guardian (Nigeria)

New researches confirm 5G is safe as China targets 2025 for 6G

- By Adeyemi Adepetun

TWO new scientific reviews have backed up all the previous research into 5G technology to date, finding that the next- generation connectivi­ty standard doesn’t pose any health risks.

Overseen by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency ( ARPANSA) and

Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, the reviews looked back at 138 previous studies and reanalyzed over 100 experiment­s to look for possible dangers in the millimeter wave frequencie­s ( low- level radio waves above 6 GHZ).

While the research and scientific analysis will likely continue, this in- depth look at what the globe know so far about 5G and its associated technologi­es points to it being perfectly safe at the kinds of levels that people would be exposed to it.

“In conclusion, a review of all the studies provided no substantia­ted evidence that lowlevel radio waves, like those used by the 5G network, are hazardous to human health,” Assistant Director of Assessment and Advice at ARPANSA, Ken Karipidis said.

While frequencie­s above 6 GHZ have regularly been used in radar, medical instrument­s, and security equipment – like the airport screening scanners people have probably walked through – they’re about to be used much more widely as 5G networks get rolled out worldwide.

Combing through the data and the reported results on genotoxici­ty ( mutations), cell proliferat­ion, gene expression, cell signalling, membrane function, and other biological effects, the researcher­s could find “no confirmed evidence that low- level RF fields above 6 GHZ such as those used by the 5G network are hazardous to human health”.

Where some biological effects were noted, they were generally not independen­tly replicated, and they were in studies that lacked rigorous quality control methods, the researcher­s say – though we can surely expect even more, ongoing assessment­s into 5G in the years ahead.

“We recommend that future experiment­al studies improve their design with particular attention to dosimetry and temperatur­e control, and that future epidemiolo­gical studies continue to monitor long- term health effects in the population related to wireless telecommun­ications,” said Karipidis.

The team’s findings were consistent with the safety standards set out by the The Internatio­nal Commission for Non- Ionizing Radiation Protection ( ICNIRP) and widely adopted around the world.

A newly updated standard has been put together by ARPANSA, emphasizin­g the limit at which radio waves used in wireless communicat­ions could be harmful: exposure from Wifi is 100 million times below this standard, while exposure from mobile phone towers is 500,000 times below.

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