The 5th generation of wireless technology will be available worldwide in a few years. 5G peak internet speed is 20GB per second which is significantly faster than the old generations. But is it too soon for the 5th generation to take over the world? Or should we wait until we know for sure if 5G is completely safe for the environment?
Whenever a new wireless generation is about to occur, we hear the same old arguments that restrict the evolution of wireless generations.“ 5G technology is most likely to cause cancer”, “ the radiation that 5G emits is harmful to us”. These are some of the statements that we hear again and again when each new wireless generation is about to come. But how much of it is authentic and what is made up is yet to be figured out.
5G and it’s Medical Risks
Since wireless technologies produce an electromagnetic field, there is enough scientific research done on this topic to know if 5G causes any adverse health effects.
The results of electromagnetic research are inconsistent but the electromagnetic field is linked with tissue heating, cancer, and cognitive function.
Tissue heating
The electromagnetic field causes tissue heating which is linked with a slight rise in body and brain temperature. However, the magnetic field that 5G produces is very low to cause any considerable tissue heating.
Cancer
Scientists claimed that electromagnetic fields might contribute to brain cancer development. However, the results are very inconsistent to back this claim. As of now, there is no clear evidence that may suggest that brain cancer and electromagnetic fields from 5G technology are related.
Cognitive Function
The research suggests that there is no solid link between electromagnetic fields and impaired cognitive function. In the future, the 5G providers may target the higher frequency band. Activists are worried about this “high band” spectrum since more radio deployment will be needed. There are claims that the high band spectrum causes cancer.
However, the radiation that is produced by these bands is not powerful enough to affect the DNA and cause any cancer. But additional studies are still required.
High-frequency Wavelength: Any Proven Hazards?
5G network uses millimeter-wave frequencies which means in every few blocks, the number of towers is greater; and activists are concerned there will be a rise in the exposure of these tower radiations.
5G requires more cell towers to be installed, unlike 4G which uses miles wavelengths over millimeter wavelengths. 5G towers will be closer to human contacts and concerns are general that it may damage human property or have an adverse effect on health.
However, there is no evidence available to back the adverse effects of millimeter-wavelength technology. But more studies are needed to rule out any future damage that might be possible.
Are coronavirus and 5G linked?
Many conspiracy theories have emerged that 5G was deployed in China and the fact that coronavirus emerged from China so there might be a link between 5G and coronavirus. Many people claimed that coronavirus was spread through 5G radio frequencies.
However, this research was a brainer for many scientists and the absurd claims of 5G and coronavirus were ruled out.
5G and Animals
There are very few experiments and scientific research done to know for sure that 5G radiations are harmful to animals. In 2019 animal research found that the electromagnetic field is more likely to damage the DNA in rats.
Moreover, in further animal research, it was found that electromagnetic frequencies can harm the animal nervous system. Besides rats and mice, the research was also done on frogs and snails. However, to determine the strong link between 5G and health effects on animals, more scientific research and experiments are needed. There should be more research done on different animals, birds, and insects to conclude this topic.
Advantages of 5G
Besides the conspiracies and limited researches on 5G, the benefits of this new wireless technology are worth appreciating. 5G offers increased bandwidth for all its users. More bandwidth means the devices of users will run faster since there will be more space available to download files and stream videos.
Moreover, more bandwidths mean faster speed. The average 5G speed is claimed to be around 20GB per second. With this kind of blistering speed, users can download multiple files and stream 4K videos at the same time. Gone are the days when we had to wait 5 hours to download 10GB files. Now it is possible to download large data files in the blink of an eye. Who would have thought that we will go this far in technology?
Moreover, 5G offers significantly lower latency than 4G which enables the users to perform remote actions. This means doctors in another part of the world can intervene with a patient through precision instrumentation managed remotely.
Furthermore, with a single 5G device, multiple users can connect at the same time without slowing down their browsing. Now it is not needed for everyone in the family to buy separate wireless devices.
The 5G wireless service improves technology use as well. Industries can exchange data at a faster rate which will allow them to increase their production level.
The faster connection ensures real real-time coverage as well. The faster technology will make it possible for cars like tesla to communicate with pedestrians and traffic lights to avoid any accidents.
Final Words
The 5G technology has many advantages to make the world move faster and quicker. It is more likely that faster connectivity can improve education and health care facilities to make the world a better place.
We are not completely sure that 5G contributes to adverse health effects on living organisms. However, many researchers claim that 5G is completely safe and we should not believe in conspiracy theories. The number of electromagnetic radiations is so insignificant that it can not possibly destroy our DNA and cause cancer or other health issues.
However, there are another half of scientists who believe that additional research and experiments are needed to rule out any possible negative impact of 5G technology. As of now, we are unsure whether to embrace the new technology right now or wait for additional studies.