The fifth generation of wireless technology, 5G, represents the latest advancement in mobile communication systems, promising significantly faster data speeds and expanded network capacity. This infrastructure utilizes radio waves, a method common to all prior generations of wireless technology. However, the rollout of 5G has raised public concerns about potential adverse health effects, including the specific claim that exposure to 5G signals could cause or trigger epileptic seizures. This article examines the scientific evidence concerning the physical properties of 5G signals and the established biological effects of radiofrequency energy to address this health concern.
The Electromagnetic Spectrum and 5G Technology
Wireless communication relies on radio waves, which are part of the vast electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. A fundamental concept in understanding the safety of wireless signals is the distinction between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation, which includes X-rays and gamma rays, carries enough energy to break chemical bonds in biological molecules like DNA, causing cellular damage.
The radio waves used by 5G, like those from 4G, Wi-Fi, and broadcast radio, fall firmly into the non-ionizing portion of the spectrum. These waves lack the requisite energy to directly damage cells or genetic material, a property that separates them physically from harmful radiation sources. While 5G networks employ higher frequencies than previous generations, sometimes extending into the millimeter-wave range (e.g., 24 GHz to 100 GHz), they remain non-ionizing.
The energy level of a wave is directly related to its frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher frequencies used by 5G enable faster data transfer but do not cross the critical energy threshold needed to become ionizing radiation. Therefore, the physical characteristics of 5G signals prevent them from causing the type of molecular damage associated with established health risks like cancer from ionizing sources.
How Radiofrequency Energy Interacts with the Human Body
When radiofrequency (RF) energy interacts with the human body, the only established biological effect is the thermal effect, which is the heating of tissue. The body absorbs RF energy, converting it into heat through the vibration of charged molecules and ions within the tissue. This mechanism is similar to how a microwave oven heats food, though the power output from wireless devices and base stations is vastly lower.
Regulatory bodies worldwide, such as the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), set strict safety limits based on this thermal effect. These limits are expressed using the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which measures the rate at which energy is absorbed per unit mass of tissue, typically in watts per kilogram (W/kg). For the general public, the whole-body average SAR limit is set at 0.08 W/kg, which incorporates a large safety factor.
These limits are designed to prevent the whole-body temperature from rising more than one degree Celsius, the level where adverse health effects have been observed in animal studies. For localized exposure, such as near the head, the limit is typically 1.6 W/kg or 2.0 W/kg. The power levels emitted by 5G devices and base stations are engineered to be well below these established thresholds, ensuring that any heat generated is easily dissipated by the body’s natural thermoregulatory systems.
Some scientific discussions explore the possibility of “non-thermal” effects, where biological changes occur without a measurable temperature increase. However, international health and regulatory organizations base their safety guidelines solely on the thermal mechanism, as non-thermal effects have not been consistently substantiated as causing adverse human health outcomes like seizures.
Scientific Findings on 5G Exposure and Seizure Risk
Seizures are fundamentally neurological events caused by sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which results in uncontrolled signaling between brain cells. The central question is whether the low-energy, non-ionizing RF fields from 5G can disrupt this delicate internal electrical balance. The scientific consensus, supported by major health organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and ICNIRP, is that there is no credible evidence to suggest a causal link between 5G exposure and the induction or triggering of seizures.
The RF energy from 5G systems does not have the capacity to directly stimulate neurons or generate the intense, synchronized electrical discharges that characterize a seizure.
While some studies on earlier wireless technologies (such as 900 MHz signals) in chemically-induced seizure-prone animal models have shown changes in neuronal excitability, these findings do not translate to a risk for the general human population exposed to 5G. Furthermore, these animal experiments often involve exposure conditions and power levels that are not representative of real-world public exposure limits.
Crucially, a recent controlled study investigating the effects of a high-frequency 5G signal (26 GHz) on human brain electrical activity, measured by electroencephalography (EEG), found no detectable alterations in healthy adults under conditions compliant with safety standards. Regulatory bodies and health agencies affirm that the established exposure limits are protective against all substantiated adverse health effects, including neurological ones. The scientific evidence indicates that 5G RF fields, when operating within regulatory guidelines, cannot induce the necessary electrical disruption in the brain to cause a seizure.