Evrim Yazgin
Cosmos science journalist
Wirelessly transmitted data using electromagnetic frequencies in the 5G band do not cause harmful effects such as altered gene expression, according to a new study.
Modern telecommunication relies on radiofrequency light waves to transmit data wirelessly.
Frequency is measured in Hertz, (Hz), and the spectrum goes from single Hz to kHz (thousands of Hz), MHz (millions of Hz), GHz (billions of Hz) and THz (trillions of Hz).
The higher the frequency, the more efficiently devices can transmit and receive data.
4G (fourth generation) data transmission technology sits in the MHz to GHz range. 5G (fifth generation) is usually around hundreds of MHz up to tens of GHz. Scientists are already looking at new technologies to develop 6G transmission.
In coming years, 5G networks will expand to the 5G NR FR2 range, adding frequencies of 24.3–27.5 GHz and 39.5–43.3 GHz
There has been some public concern about the health effects of electromagnetic transmission for decades, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish the International EMF (electromagnetic field) Project in 1996.
Public concern grew when 5G was first developed in 2008 and its widescale implementation in 2019. This has persisted despite a report from the WHO in 2010 which outlined research showing that 5G was not dangerous. A separate 2024 report by the US National Toxicology Program also outlined the safety of 5G technology.
This new study, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, provides further evidence that there are no health risks associated with 5G.
The authors highlight that potential health effects that have been raised in the public, media and political spheres are, in particular, cancer risk due to changes in gene expression in human cells.
A specific area of concern is the potential for 5G radiofrequencies to cause methylation – a process where DNA and RNA molecules can have a methyl group added to them, resulting in changes to how genes are expressed or whether they are turned “on” or “off”. Methylation can also affect protein structure.
“Previous studies have faced criticism for methodological shortcomings, including lack of blinding, temperature control, and transparent statistical methods,” they write.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study that uses state-of-the-art methods like whole-genome RNA-Seq and methylation array to analyse the genetic and epigenetic effects of 5G NR FR2 frequencies on human material,” they add.
The researchers, based at Germany’s Constructor University, exposed human skin cells to electromagnetic radiation in the 5G band 10 times higher than legal limits, for periods of 2 hours and 48 hours.
Permissible levels of 5G penetrates the skin less than 1mm. Under the heightened conditions in the experiment, radiofrequencies penetrated a few mm into the skin.
The experimental design was fully blinded to eliminate bias.
“Differences in gene expression and methylation due to exposure were small and not higher than expected by chance. These data strongly support the assessment that there is no evidence for exposure-induced damage to human skin cells,” the authors write.
The authors conclude: “Due to our strong emphasis on highly controlled experimental conditions and our combinatorial analysis, we hope to close this debate and in particular cast fundamental doubt on the existence of possible nonthermal biological effects of exposure.”
