Use of laptop computers connected to internet through Wi-Fi decreases human sperm motility and increases sperm DNA fragmentation

Objective

To evaluate the effects of laptop computers connected to local area networks wirelessly (Wi-Fi) on human spermatozoa.

Design

Prospective in vitro study.

Setting

Center for reproductive medicine.

Patient(s)

Semen samples from 29 healthy donors.

Intervention(s)

Motile sperm were selected by swim up. Each sperm suspension was divided into two aliquots. One sperm aliquot (experimental) from each patient was exposed to an internet-connected laptop by Wi-Fi for 4 hours, whereas the second aliquot (unexposed) was used as control, incubated under identical conditions without being exposed to the laptop.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Evaluation of sperm motility, viability, and DNA fragmentation.

Result(s)

Donor sperm samples, mostly normozoospermic, exposed ex vivo during 4 hours to a wireless internet-connected laptop showed a significant decrease in progressive sperm motility and an increase in sperm DNA fragmentation. Levels of dead sperm showed no significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusion(s)

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the direct impact of laptop use on human spermatozoa. Ex vivo exposure of human spermatozoa to a wireless internet-connected laptop decreased motility and induced DNA fragmentation by a nonthermal effect. We speculate that keeping a laptop connected wirelessly to the internet on the lap near the testes may result in decreased male fertility. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to prove this contention.

Key Words: Laptop computer, Wi-Fi, sperm quality, fertility, sperm DNA fragmentation

http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(11)02678-1/abstract

'Electro-oversensitive' man in mobile phone blackout threat

Published: 25 Nov 11 16:28 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation 

A Swedish man who sometimes wears a silver-coloured suit to protect himself from mobile phone mast radiation had demanded that local officials in Dalarna in central Sweden create a “radiation-free zone” to protect his health that may leave half the county without mobile phone coverage.

Despite a lack of scientific research into the health effects of the radiation emitted by mobile phone masts, Mora municipality in Dalarna County is about to create an area free of radiation following complaints filed by local resident Dan Bengtsson, 62.

”There may be a biological effect that we are unaware of. If we can play it safe it may open up for other authorities to do the same,” said municipal environment inspector Niklas Sjödin to daily Dagens Nyheter (DN). 

Bengtsson, who lives outside of Mora, has long complained of headaches, back problems, and painful prickles in his heart. 

He describes himself as "electro-oversensitive" and claims that his health has deteriorated since the mobile mast network was expanded in the area. 

The silver suit he sometimes wears dampens the effect somewhat, but not completely, according to Bengtsson. 

”It looks a little bit like a space suit,” Bengtsson told daily Aftonbladet. 

According to Bengtsson, his condition is making his wife suffer as well, as she is forced to be there for him all the time.

”If I have to do a bank errand or similar she has to go into the bank and fetch me all the things I need,” he told the paper. 

Bengtsson's problems began in 1992 when he lived on the west coast and worked as an electrical engineer for a power company.

“I see this as a work related injury,” he told the paper.

In 2005 he moved with his wife to the little village Venjan in Mora municipality in Dalarna, to escape the electricity and radiation.

“But I still have not managed to find a decent home. Mobile phone radiation is unavoidable. It is everywhere in Sweden,” he said.

The matter has already cost tax payers hundreds of thousands of kronor, according to DN, and there are 140 separate documents pertaining to the affair in the case file. 

The municipality environment office is hoping to meet Bengtsson half way, despite the possibility that creating a mobile phone “dead zone” could leave other residents without any reception for their mobile phones and television sets.

The authority is hoping to make an official demand that mobile phone operators, as well as the state run TV and Radio distributor Terracotta, must aim their masts a different direction. 

The local authorities argue their right to make such a demand is supported by Swedish environment law. 

Experts have criticized the move, however, saying that there are no scientific proof that the radiation is harmful to humans.

”The decision which the municipality is about to take is not based on any scientific evidence. There is no known biological mechanism for how a low level of exposure emitted by mobile base stations could have any detrimental health effects,” Maria Feychting, epidemiology professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, told DN. 

The Mora environment office want the companies to implement measures to ensure that the electric field strength around the man's property can't exceed 50 nano watts per square metre. 

According to DN, this is an extremely low number, the normal radiation level is about 500,000 nano watts per square metres.

”My guess is that this will constitute a problem for many trying to use their mobile phones. That is such a low limit that I'm afraid half of the county will be without TV,” said Yngve Hamnerius, professor of electromagnetics at Chalmers University of Technology. 

The limit set on electric field strength is based on what the man estimates to be a tolerable level for his everyday life. 

Local authorities did attempt to measure levels around the man's property, but surveying the area was never completed. However, they nevertheless feel that the level is adequate for mobile phone use in the area.

”We have looked through text books and come to that conclusion. W have Googled it and read some comments,” Sjödin told DN.

Rebecca Martin (news@thelocal.se)

http://www.thelocal.se/37576/20111125/#

Concerned parents protest Wi-Fi in schools

Concerned parents protest Wi-Fi in schools

WRITTEN BY PHILLIP MACIEL

THURSDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2011 13:15

Nearly 50 parents and children protested in front of the York Region District School Boardoffice Wednesday in hopes of having Wi-Fi banned in their schools.

“We parents are very concerned. We don’t want our children in a learning environment where they’re being radiated everyday,” Christine Marrin, a parent, activist and former teacher with the board, told thedailyplanet.com.

Close to 40 parents protested in Aurora, Ont. and almost 10 children were pulled out of classes to protest alongside them. The protest happened from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“A Wi-Fi router emits the same radio-frequency as a microwave … and there have been no studies on children to tell us this is safe,” said Marrin.

Parents in the York Region area fear Wi-Fi's effects on their children, but Health Canada says the threats are simply not real.

Health Canada, however, ensures that Wi-Fi in schools poses no risk to anyone exposed.

Health Canada's website explains that, “there is no convincing scientific evidence that emissions from [Wi-Fi] are dangerous to schoolchildren or to Canadians in general.”

Yet Marrin remains unconvinced by Health Canada’s position.

“There hasn’t been a generation of students who have been in this kind of learning environment, and so it’s just a mystery to us how Health Canada ensures us that it’s safe,” Marrin said.

The York Region District School Board issued a release after testing in a “sample of areas” for radio frequencies and microwave electromagnetic field levels associated with Wi-Fi.

“All the observed levels are far below exposure limits currently established or proposed by major international or national agencies,” said the release.

Marrin said that her ultimate goal is to have Wi-Fi removed from the schools, and to have the computers hard-wired instead.

“I understand that technology strengthens classroom instruction. I am very much pro-technology,” she said. “I’m just taking issue with the way the board is choosing to deliver Internet access.”

http://www.thedailyplanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7313:concerned-parents-protest-wi-fi-in-schools&catid=14:local&Itemid=262

MEDIA ADVISORY: Orange County NY Urges Federal and State Action on Microwave Transmitters

MEDIA ADVISORY: Orange County NY Urges Federal and State Action on Microwave Transmitters

24.10.2011 by emily Category Electromagnetic Health Blog

Released by Deborah Kopald, Environmental Health and Public Policy Advocate, October 21, 2011.

Media Advisory: County Government Urges Federal and State Action on Microwave Transmitters

On October 6^th, 2011, the Orange County (NY) Legislature passed the Wireless Right-to-Know Resolution, making it the third jurisdiction in the United States to weigh in on the failure of the federal government to properly account for the effects of radiation from microwave-emitting transmitters and/or devices.

In the resolution, Orange County urged “THE U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, PERTINENT FEDERAL AGENCIES, MEMBERS OF THE U. S. CONGRESS, NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO, PERTINENT STATE AGENCIES AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE TO FUND AND CAUSE STUDIES TO BE PERFORMED ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF THE USE OF CELL TRANSMISSIONS, WI-FI, WIRELESS SMART METERS AND OTHER SOURCES OF CONTINUOUS MICROWAVE AND RADIO FREQUENCY RADIATION.”

The Orange County action follows the resolution adopted by the New Mexico House of Representative in March which commissioned its state health and environment departments to compile the literature on microwave radiation and recommend ways to alleviate “ any dangerous effects that cell phone radiation has on human health” for a report to be issued in November and the San Francisco cell phone ordinance which went into effect in September mandating point of sale disclosure that cell phones emit radiofrequency radiation and provision of information on how to reduce exposure.

Wi-Fi transmitters have now become ubiquitous in indoor human environments, smart meters have been rolled out by utilities in many states, and both can expose human populations to more radiation than cell transmitters which have been identified by scientific studies and international bodies as being epidemiologically significant.  In addition, the cumulative exposure many people receive from transmitters exceed their exposure to cell phone use, which the National Institute of Health demonstrated is responsible for changes in brain chemistry and which many studies including the World Health Organization’s INTERPHONE study showed are linked to brain tumors, brain damage, cognitive dysfunction and other cancers.

Microwave radiation from devices and transmitters was identified in 2011 as possibly carcinogenic by the World Health Organization, and in 2010 the Presidential Cancer Panel identified the question of children’s and adolescents’ risk from using wireless devices as the most urgent issue to be addressed.

A press conference to discuss the implications of the resolution and the political and scientific issues surrounding the problem of ever-increasing exposures to wireless radiation from increased placement of transmitters and use of wireless devices will be held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1^st, 2011 at the Orange County Citizens Foundation at 23 White Oak Drive, Sugar Loaf, NY.  http://www.occf-ny.org/webpages/home/

Participants will include Orange County legislators, other lawmakers working on related legislative initiatives, advocate Deborah Kopald and members of the scientific community.

Contact:

Jeff Berkman, Democratic Minority Leader, Orange County Legislature jeff@jeffberkman.com

Deborah Kopald, Environmental Health and Public Policy advocate Deborah_Kopald@ymail.com

http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/oc-ny/

Cell tower situation demands the attention of every citizen in Huntsville

Re: proposed cell tower on Lynx Lake Road

World renowned scientists in the field of microwaves, Barrie Trower of Britain, has stated that property owners hosting cellphone towers are unaware that telecommunication companies have absolved themselves of responsibility for damages, thereby leaving property owners exposed to liability lawsuits. He cited an example of a court case in which a plot owner was happy to receive the equivalent of $100,000 pounds a year for hosting a cellphone tower on his farm but was sued for $4 million by his neighbours after the tower became a health hazard that resulted in the value of properties falling.

The facts are that radiation emanating from cellphone towers will cook living tissue within a 2.6 mile radius. All life exposed to this type of radiation even at low levels at greater distances are vulnerable to chronic and terminal health issues including cancer, fibromyalgia, heart disease and abnormalities – plant leaves lose their cells and die.
Equally frightening is that citizens and communities have had their rights to self-determination of safe, healthy communities co-opted by absentee and unelected decision makers.

Dividing citizenry is a strategy long employed to create distraction from important issues. This is a serious community issue that demands the attention of every citizen. If Rogers and our governments allow this seemingly benign but fatally violent structure in our wetland neighbourhood, they will (be) put in your apartment building, nearby flagpoles and church steeples too. 

As Canadians, we all value our communities, health and economic freedom. I urge every citizen to learn the facts, develop an informed opinion and be heard. Everyone is invited to visit the online petition www.ipetitions.com (to) read what your neighbours are saying and show your support. 

Let’s continue to educate ourselves, work together as a community and follow the lead of Oakville and Peterborough to relocate towers away from residential areas. In addition, let’s create a telecommunications facilities protocol to provide a formal framework for community-based decision-making. This type of policy is more consistent with our Unity Plan goals and aspirations for sustainable, healthy and economically progressive communities.

Jennifer Vasey
Lynx Lake Road
Huntsville

http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/opinion/letters/article/1249258--cell-tower-situation-demands-the-attention-of-every-citizen-in-huntsville

Most Britons oppose children having mobile phones, poll finds

By Li-mei Hoang

Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:22pm IST

A woman uses her mobile telephone in central London January 23, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Luke MacGregor

(Reuters) - Nearly three-quarters of Britons think it is inappropriate for children under 12 to own a mobile phone, despite the fact that most kids already have them, according to a poll on Thursday.

The survey of 2,000 people found that expensive bills, unmonitored internet use and lack of parental control were some of the reasons adults felt uncomfortable about kids owning mobiles.

However, more than one in 10 would buy a child a mobile phone as a treat to encourage good behavior, or for doing well at school.

The vast majority of parents (90 percent) also liked the idea of a child having a phone in case of an emergency.

Mobile phone information and price comparison website Recombu.com, which carried out the survey, noted that 79 percent of 7 to 11-year-olds already own a mobile.

Hannah Bouckley, editor of Recombu, said: "It is reassuring for parents to be in constant contact with their children, but there are clearly concerns about just how careful a young child will be with their own mobile phone.

"It is important for parents to sit down with their kids to discuss the responsibilities that come with the phone and set clear limits for its usage from the outset."

(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang, editing by Paul Casciato)

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/11/24/us-phone-children-mobile-idINTRE7AN0Y420111124

Your baby monitor may not be protecting your child

Your baby monitor may not be protecting your child





Thursday, November 24, 2011 by: Lenette Nakauchi


Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034230_baby_monitor_children.html#ixzz1eifY0O60

(NaturalNews) As a parent, you certainly only want what is best for your child. Unfortunately, today's highly technological society may be providing you with ways to safeguard your children that can actually harm them. When shopping for products to help keep your baby safe, it may be difficult to differentiate between products that truly protect your child and those that do not. Baby monitors, especially, are known to expose children to radiation that can be very harmful to their development.

The Dangers of Baby Monitors

Being able to listen for your baby while getting other activities accomplished is a wonderful thing, and baby monitors have freed new parents to utilize the little time they have to complete chores, prepare meals, and relax. But many parents are unaware of the damage that baby monitors can do to their developing children.

All electronic devices create electromagnetic fields, or EMFs. These EMFs carry radiation which, over time, can be harmful. Overexposure to EMFs is a large concern in today's society, as the culture seems to continually embrace technological advancement without questioning its consequences. For your baby, this could create serious health risks.

You see, the skulls of small children are not completely formed, leaving their brains more vulnerable to radiation exposure. Because baby monitors are often wireless devices, they emit a great deal of EMFs, as they have to cover an entire area of space and not just the length from one end of a cord to another. To make matters worse, these monitors are often placed next to a baby's crib or bed, making the intensity of the EMF for them even greater.

Is This a Legitimate Concern?

While it is true that the exact health risks have yet to be pinpointed and confirmed by researchers, it is also true that radiation can be highly dangerous. Adults, who suffer from overexposure to EMFs, have complained of several different health problems, ranging in severity from fatigue to cancer. Furthermore, the developing tissues of a baby make young children much more susceptible to the damage that radiation can cause. Though they may be invisible, EMFs are certainly threats that parents should consider before using a baby monitor.

What Can You Do to Keep Your Children Safe?

The best way to protect your kids from EMFs is to use as few electronic devices in your home as possible. This means unplugging, and not just turning off, any electronics that are not in use, such as the television. Furthermore, you should only use baby monitors if it is an absolute necessity.

If you find yourself needing to rely upon a baby monitor, make sure that you do not put it right next to your child's bed or crib. In fact, it is recommended that you place it at least 10 feet from where your baby will be sleeping. It would also be wise to invest in an "on demand" baby monitor, which is activated by sound and only transmits information when there is noise. Though this does not completely avoid exposure to radiation, it will significantly cut down on the EMF levels to which your baby is exposed.

Sources for this article include
http://www.lifeenergysolutions.com/...
http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/stra...
http://timleitch.net.nz/bioenergy/c...


About the author:
Lenette Nakauchi is a vibration exercise and detox expert who is passionate about demonstrating to others how to get lean and fit in a fun, healthy, sustainable way. Learn more about vibration exercise and how it's used for fitness, therapy, and weight loss athttp://www.thenoblerexk1.com. Learn more about her detox and cleansing product athttp://www.3daycleanse.com.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034230_baby_monitor_children.html#ixzz1eifMLQF5