ELECTRONICS

There is strong evidence that life (human

and otherwise) may be able to detect (or
be affected by) radio waves.
By TOM JASKI

I
N a recent editorial (August, 1959), under intensive investigation, are the fact that radar waves appear to have
Hugo Gernsback called for a serious thermal effects of such waves, and these no significant effect on the fertility of
reappraisal of the effects of radio have been measured rather precisely the male mice. The effects of radar
waves on human and animal physi- under a variety of conditions. waves on the longevity of the mice are
ology. In view of the almost casual use Using mice as subjects, it was found currently being investigated.
of high-power radar and industrial rf that near-lethal doses of radiation do An intensive series of experiments
leating equipment, this is certainly a not seem to cause any pathological was carried out on cellular organisms,
timely word of warning. changes in them, and that the lethal such as yeast cells, but, other than
It is not surprising then that the effect is primarily an overtaxing of the showing thermal effects, the experi-
Air Force is already keenly aware of mice's temperature-balancing system. ments were inconclusive. Similar ex-
these problems, and has a number of It was found that the major heating periments with insects such as ants
projects under way to discover the effect took place immediately under the delivered relatively minor data. But one
exact effects of high-intensity radar skin, but of course heat generated there interesting item which emerged was
pulses and microwaves on human and is rapidly distributed through the body. that the ants, normally moving every
animal tissue. These projects are being The temperature of the mice was moni- which way, in a Petri dish, will all line
carried out at our major universities, tored continuously. The photograph up in a 3-cm field, aligning their an-
each specializing in one particular fre- shows zoologist Susan Prausnitz moni- tennas parallel to the field, apparently
luency. For example, the project at the toring the temperature of a mouse sus- to minimize the effects.
University of California, under the pended in the wire cage right in front The project is continuing, and more
direction of Prof. Charles Susskind, of the waveguide just visible on the research on mice, ants and other ani-
is primarily investigating the effects of left. The mouse is slowly rotated to in- mals is contemplated. Psychological
3-cm radar energy. Test subjects are sure even radiation over the entire effects will be looked into. One promis-
mice, ants, and yeast cells. body. Death occurred in 50% of the ing item in the ant experiments was
mice when a critical temperature of that the ants which were exposed to
Thermal effects
Of great importance, and therefore 44.1°C was reached. 3-cm waves apparently lost the ability,
Other interesting findings include the at least temporarily, to communicate
the source of food to their fellows, as
ants usually do. It may be significant
that the large ants used have antennas
which measure very nearly one-fourth
the wavelength of the 3-cm radiation.
Incidentally, mice are so frequently
used for this kind of experiment be-
cause they are easily handled, easily
obtained and relatively inexpensive,
while their physiology and metabolism
bear a useful resemblance to human
counterparts in some ways. The life
span of a mouse is limited, permit-
ting experimenters to evaluate genetic
effects over several generations.
Meanwhile other service branches are
carrying out research programs con-
cerned with the effects of radio waves
on animal life, not necessarily limited
to radar frequencies. A public an-
nouncement by scientists at the Na-
tional Institute for Neurological Dis-
eases concerning the lethal effects of
388-mc radio waves on monkeys also
Zoologist checks shows there is great interest in other
the temperature frequencies and effects besides thermal.
of a mouse (cir-
cled object sus- Some early reports
pended in front As long ago as 1930, Nrunori claims
of waveguide).

SEPTEMBER, 43
1960
ELECTRONICS
placing a copper ring about 8 inches in
diameter and supported on an insulat-
ing wooden stick (Fig. 2) around the
plant. So-called tumerous growths on
plants disappeared within such a ring.
Lakhovsky's experiment with plants
has been duplicated successfully. But
then we should also note that the same
kind of thing has been done by a group
of devout citizens using group prayer!
But the people who have published
the most data on the subject of uhf
Fig. 1—Cazzamaili used this radiation effects on animals and human
simple set-up subjects are the Russians. In Biofisica,
the Russian biophysics journal, a scien-
to have seen evidence that the human indicate any points at which he might tist named Livshits published two sur-
organism "radiates" and "reacts to" notice anything unusual. The subjects vey articles on the work that had been
radio waves of 2.33 meters and its har- were not allowed to see the dial. At a done in this field by 1958 and 1959. They
monics—in other words: 129, 258, 387 particular frequency, varying between are too extensive to repeat in great de-
and 596 mc. 380 and 500 mc for different subjects, tail here, but some of the more impres-
This brings to mind the work of a they repeatedly indicated a point with sive highlights will be reported.
man who started publishing articles on almost unbelievable accuracy (as many Many experiments were carried out
this kind of subject more than 35 years as 14 out of 15 times). on animals with conditioned reflexes,
ago. An Italian university professor Subsequent experiments with the and one by Glezer showed that a weak
named Cazzamaili placed human sub- same subjects showed that at the "in- uhf field would inhibit the conditioned
jects in a shielded room, subjected them dividual" frequency, strange things reflex, indicating that some inhibition
to high-frequency radio waves, and were felt. Asked to describe the experi- of the cortex was taking place.
claimed to be able to record a "beat" ence, all subjects agreed there was a As in Van Everdingen's experiment
which he received on a simple untuned definite "pulsing" in the brain, ringing with chicken eggs, Pardzhanidze showed
receiver consisting of a galena crystal, in the ears and a desire to put their that the EEG's of rabbits were dras-
a small capacitor, antenna and sensitive teeth into the nearest experimenter. tically changed when the animals were
galvanometer. Cazzamalli's equipment, The oscillator in this case was putting subjected to a uhf field. Bludova,
as well as it can be determined from out only milliwatts of power, and was Kurilova and Tikhonova showed that
his early articles, is shown in Fig. 1. placed several feet from the subject. the field produced an increase of sensi-
The one item which he never mentions, tivity in the retina, and simultaneously
Optical and growth effects
perhaps because he could not accurately reduced the area of color sensitivity. It
It was not the first time that such
determine it, is the power of his trans- is interesting to speculate how this
phenomena had been observed. Van
mitter. He published oscillograms pur- would correlate with the Land effects.
Everdingen, a Dutch scientist, had dis-
portedly showing variations of the (Land, of Polaroid camera fame, has
covered many years ago that radiation
"beats" when his subjects were emo- shown recently that our concepts of
would affect the heartbeat of chicken
tionally aroused or engaged in creative three-color vision may well be false,
embryos, when he was experimenting
efforts. Later experiments delivered and that color vision seems to depend
with the effects of high-frequency
much more startling results: he found primarily on the presence of two images
radiation on growth (specifically work-
that some of his subjects would halluci- stimulated by two different frequencies
ing toward any effect it might have on
nate under the influence of high-fre- of light!)
malignant growths). Van Everdingen
quency radio waves, which by then Turlygin similarly showed that the
used 1,875 mc and 3,000 mc and dis-
ranged all the way up to 300 mc. sensitivity of the eyes of dark-adapted
covered that this kind of radiation
The Cazzamaili experiments were subjects at marginal levels was in-
would change the optical properties of
carefully duplicated with modern equip- creased as much as 100% by the pres-
a glycogen solution. Glycogen is a sub-
ment, of much greater sensitivity than ence of a uhf field.
stance which occurs very abundantly in
his. His "oscillatori telegrafica" (pre-
chicken embryos, particularly at an Nerve effects
sumably a transmitter as used for wire-
early stage of development. It is also
less telegraphy) was replaced with a Of importance in the light of Lak-
the substance which provides our mus-
very modest low-power oscillator. The hovsky's claims is the experiment by
cles with energy! Van Everdingen
reason for this was twofold. In the first
found that this change of optical
place, university authorities take a very
polarization had some connection with
dim view of experiments on human
tumor growth. He proceeded to re-
beings, even if these subjects are the
rotate the polarization in extracts ob-
scientists themselves, volunteering for
tained from tumor-producing mice.
the part. Second, a previous experiment
When this optically "pure" substance
had indicated in a rather startling way
was injected into mice with malignant
that power was not required to evoke
tumors, and these mice were kept on a
effects in the human nervous system.
diet free of animal fats, the tumors
In fact, there seemed to be some sort
would cease to grow. Only radiation at
of resonant frequency applicable to
uhf or shf would produce these effects
each individual human.
in the substances he used.
Effects on humans But Van Everdingen was not the only
That experiment was suggested by the one who discovered important facts
behavior of the monkeys we cited. These about radiation on living tissues. Years
animals went through a sequence of before, a Frenchman named Lakhovsky
behavior which would indicate that claimed to have removed tumors from
something besides thermal effects was patients with high-frequency radiation
operating. To discover if this "some- treatments, and his book, The Secret of
thing" was subjectively noticeable by Life, has a number of attestations in
it from grateful patients who were Fig. 2—A copper ring, eight inches in
an individual, a weak oscillator was
diameter, seems to improve plant growth
swept through the band from 300 to 600 cured. Lakhovsky stated that healthy
(after photograph in Secret of Life by
mc with the request that the subject plant growth is materially aided by
Lakhovsky).

44 RADIO-ELECTRONICS
 ELECTRONICS
Grigoreva, who showed that short ex- involved may well be drastically References
posures to uhf would expedite the re- affected if we are subjected to a high F. Cazzamalli—"Electromagnetic Radiation
Phenom-
growth of severed nerve tissue, while enough power level. Tumors may be ena from Human Cerebrum During Intense
prolonged exposure would suppress the inhibited by the proper kind of radio Activity
of Creative Artistic Nature," Neurologica,
regrowth. waves yet, in other cases, particularly 1935.
A fact discovered many years ago when coupled with the "wrong" kind of ---- "Experiments, Discussions and
is that a uhf field will have an analgesic diet, radiation may also promote the Problems of
Biophysics of Cerebrum," Quaderni Di
(pain-reducing) effect on nerves, and growth of tumors. (This too was dem- Psichiatria,
radiation therapy of patients with onstrated by Van Everdingen in Hol- 1929.
---- "Telepsychic Phenomena and
painful diseases such as arthritis is land.)
Radiation from
fairly common practice here and abroad. We do not yet know if our longevity Cerebrum," Neurologica, 1923.
If the field gets very intense, the situa- will be affected. Certainly we should ---- "About a Phenomenon of
tion reverses, and the effects on the consider the possibility that there may Cerebropsychic
Radiation and Biophysical Methods of Exploring
nerves can be extremely painful, as be some relationship between the in- It,"
crease of cancer and the amount of Neuropsychiatrica, 1934.
Lebedinskii reports.
W. A. G. Van Everdingen—"Molecular Changes Re-
Numerous experiments are cited radiation we indiscriminately spew into sulting from Irradiation with Hertzian Waves
which deal with the simultaneous effects the atmosphere. Or even that there may of
Frequency of 1875 mc," Nederland's Tijdschrift
of various kinds of drugs, stimulants be some connection between that radia- voor
and toxins, and uhf fields. Many of tion and our sharply increasing crime Geneeskunde, November, 1940.
rates. We simply do not know enough ---- "Molecular Changes and
these deal with very specific reactions Modifications of
and conditions, and any generalization about the effects, but what little we do Structure Resulting from Radiation with
know would tend to make Mr. Gerns- Hertzian
would be rather meaningless. One par- Waves of Wavelength of 10 cm (Frequency 3000
ticularly was of interest because of its back's warning all the more urgent. For mc)," Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde,
while there is nothing lethal about the July, 1941.
relation to the experiments of the late
---- "Changes in Physiochemical Nature of Or-
Pavlov, the father of the conditioned doses of radio-frequency energy we ab- ganic Bonds by Irradiation, Mostly in
reflex. This experiment shows that the sorb daily, neither is there anything Connection
with Cancer Problem," Nederlands Tijdschrift
field increases the secretion of hista- lethal in the steady drip of water on a voor
mine in the stomach, and in related man's forehead—but it was effectively Geneeskunde, February, 1943.
experiments that the secretion of diges- used by medieval torturers to drive him K. F. Grishina—"Importance of Certain Points
of
tive juice which was artificially stimu- completely out of his mind. Perhaps we Methods in Local Response of Tissues to
lated by such drugs as atropine is have a responsibility to mankind, be- Centimetes
Waves," Biofizika, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 358-
materially reduced by the field. fore we fill in all the gaps in the radio
342, 1958.
Closer to home, we find that Hugh spectrum, to discover once and for all B. S. Jacobson, S. B. Prausnitz and C.
if we are affecting human life on this Susskind—
Fleming at Oregon State College car- "Investigation of Thermal Balance in Mammals
ried out experiments on the effects of planet. And if so, in what manner, as we by
high-frequency fields on microorgan- finally had to do for another surprise Means of Microwave Radiation," Transactions on
Medical Electronics, Proceedings of IRE, June,
isms. Fleming used radiation at fre- out of Pandora's box, man-made radio-
1959.
quencies varying from 10 meters to 90 activity. END Frank Leary—"Researching Microwave Health Haz-
ards," Electronics, February, 1959.
cm (30 to 270 mc). One result was that N. N. Livshits—"Role of Nervous System in
the rate of growth of cells will increase Reactions
to a certain power level, and then will to Ultra-High-Frequency Electromagnetic
Fields,"
sharply decrease. Time of exposure and Biofizika, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1957 (a 94-item
conductivity of the medium are impor- bibliography).
---- "Effects of Ultra-High-Frequency
tant variables (as was also discovered
Field on
by Van Everdingen, who also found the Functions of Nervous System," Biofizika, Vol.
viscosity of the medium to be most im- 3, No.
4, pp. 424-434, 1958.
portant). A. S. Pressman—"Methods of Experimentally
Irradi-
Summing it up ating Small Animals with Centimeter Waves,"
Now what does all this mean in terms Bio-
fizika, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 354-358, 1958.
of Mr. Gernsback's warning statement? Hugh Fleming—"Effects of High-Frequency Fields
If you consider the few items we have on
Micro-organisms," Electrical Engineering, pp.
been able to quote (more detail can be 18-21,
found in the articles cited in the bibli- January, 1944.
N. Nrunori and S. Torrisi—"Ultra-High-
ography), it is obvious that we are in
Frequency
some way susceptible to radio waves, Electromagnetic Vibrations, Their Effects on
and that our susceptibility is not neces- Living
Organisms," American Journal of Physical
sarily limited to a particular frequency. Therapy,
Nor are large amounts of power re- June, 1930.
P. Liebesy—"Athermic Short Wave Therapy,"
quired to produce some of the effects Archives
within us. of Physical Therapy, December, 1938.
But precisely what these effects are,
we understand not at all. Van Ever-
dingen points out the possibility of
molecular resonance, affecting the
chemical bonds in our very substance.
The egg experiments certainly indicate
some sort of interference with the cor-
tex (our "gray matter") which may
affect both our thinking and our control
over the "baser" drives (generally con-
sidered to be generated in the lower
sections of the brain, but normally con-
trolled or inhibited by the cortex).
Our physiological functions, such as
our digestion, our ability to see and
recover from damage when nerves are