[Rumor Identification Section] Can WiFi cause memory loss?
Today, WiFi has become a standard feature in people’s daily lives. However, the statement that "being in a WiFi environment for a long time will cause memory loss and brain damage" has been widely spread on social platforms some time ago, making many people anxious, and some people even turned off their routers at night.
In this regard, Chen Wan, associate professor at the School of Information and Communication Engineering at Harbin Engineering University, said in an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily: "This statement has no scientific basis, and the public does not need to panic about it. WiFi will not affect memory and brain, and the amount of wireless radiation that Chinese residents receive daily is within an absolutely safe range."
Chen Wan explained from a professional perspective on electromagnetic radiation that the impact of wireless signals on the human body mainly depends on power. The power of WiFi equipment used daily by the public is generally between 0.03 watts and 0.1 watts. It belongs to the low-power microwave frequency band, and the daily radiation intensity fully meets the standards.
Chen Wan further pointed out that symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite may occur only when exposed to high-power (tens of watts) and short-range (5 cm to 10 cm) electromagnetic radiation for a long time. At the same time, these symptoms can improve after rest and will not damage memory and brain. "This high-risk environment only exists in professional laboratories. The daily environment covered by WiFi, Bluetooth and base stations will not affect health." He said.
In response to the statement that "WiFi damages the brain and memory," Chen Wan said that human memory function relies on the connections between brain neurons and the transmission of neurotransmitters. Although the electromagnetic waves emitted by WiFi devices can penetrate the skull, their power is extremely low. Even if the electromagnetic waves enter the brain, they are far from enough to interfere with the connections between neurons or the normal transmission of neurotransmitters. Therefore, there is no possibility of damaging memory and cognitive abilities.
Chen Wan said that so far, there is no authoritative scientific experiment or clinical data that can prove the causal relationship between the use of WiFi and memory decline. Many people feel that their "memory has deteriorated", which is often caused by living habits such as staying up late, sitting for long periods of time, and unbalanced nutrition. WiFi cannot be blamed.
Many people are worried that the superposition of radiation from WiFi, mobile phones and other devices will harm their health. Chen Wan explained that the electromagnetic waves emitted by WiFi devices and mobile phones are high-frequency weak signals. "The power of this type of signal is extremely low, and the energy that acts on the human body is negligible and will not cause health risks," he said.
Chen Wan pointed out that the reason why WiFi radiation rumors spread widely and appear every year is that many people confuse the concepts of electromagnetic radiation and ionizing radiation. "The WiFi equipment, mobile phones, base stations, etc. that everyone comes into contact with on a daily basis only produce electromagnetic radiation but not ionizing radiation. The impact of the former on health is negligible. What needs to be strictly guarded against is ionizing radiation." He explained that ionizing radiation may cause serious consequences such as fetal malformations and a sharp decline in immunity, and is an "invisible killer" that threatens health.
"What the public really needs to pay attention to is accidentally lost industrial inspection sources, colored ores of unknown origin, and strange stones that are said to be able to 'transport'. They are all potential sources of ionizing radiation," Chen Wan said.
(Source: Science and Technology Daily Reporter: Zhu Hong Correspondent: Liu Tao)
