How does electromagnetic pollution affect us?

1. The Nature of Electromagnetic Fields

Since the origins of life on Earth, living beings have been immersed in a natural electromagnetic environment. Sunlight, electrical storms, the Earth’s magnetic field, and cosmic rays are all part of an environmental system to which the human body has adapted over millions of years. These natural fields are irregular, chaotic, and variable in both time and space. They are characterized by low coherence, random polarization, and a low electromagnetic power density, which results in a soft and non-aggressive interaction with biological processes.

This natural electromagnetic balance has been an essential part of the planet’s ecosystem, influencing highly sensitive functions such as sleep, circadian rhythms, biological orientation, and brain activity. However, this delicate balance has been disrupted in recent decades by the massive emergence of technologies that emit artificial electromagnetic fields, giving rise to a growing phenomenon known as electromagnetic pollution.

Today, we are surrounded by sources of non-ionizing radiation: mobile phone antennas, WiFi devices, radar systems, microwave ovens, computers, televisions, cordless phones, and 5G networks, among others. These artificial fields are not only more abundant but also have structural characteristics very different from natural ones: coherent waves, constant frequencies, and fixed polarization—designed to transmit digital data quickly and efficiently. Physically, this means a repetitive and directed electromagnetic vibration, which can interact with the human body in a very different way.

Unlike natural fields, which the body has learned to integrate without adverse effects, the repetitive stimulation of artificial fields can generate a sustained electromagnetic load. Numerous studies in biophysics and cellular biology have begun to show how these structured signals may act on fundamental components of the human body: cell membranes, ion channels, DNA structures, or neuroendocrine systems. The effects are not due to excess energy, but rather to how that energy is organized and sustained over time.

Over time, this overstimulation may lead to a bioelectrical imbalance that directly affects the nervous system and cellular self-regulation mechanisms. Among the first symptoms associated with this dysfunction are persistent fatigue, insomnia, stress, apathy, psychological blocks, attention deficits, and recurring headaches. If exposure continues, these imbalances may evolve into immune disorders, oxidative stress, and metabolic alterations, including increased production of free radicals or chronic inflammatory processes.

This situation has raised concerns within both the scientific community and society at large. International institutions, such as the European Parliament, have called for the application of the precautionary principle, recognizing that the biological effects of non-ionizing radiation are not yet fully understood, but may be significant in the medium or long term. Numerous scientists have warned that it is the structure of the electromagnetic field—rather than its intensity—that determines its impact on health.

In this context, understanding the nature, polarization, and density of the electromagnetic fields around us becomes essential to advancing toward a model of technological development that is compatible with human biology. Coexistence between technology and health does not require abandoning progress, but rather adopting a more conscious, informed, and respectful integration of the human body’s biophysical limits.

Natural Electromagnetic Fields

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) naturally exist throughout the universe. They originate from sources such as sunlight, the Earth’s magnetic field, thunderstorms, and cosmic rays.

These natural fields are characterized by:

Baja coherencia: sus ondas no siguen un patrón regular ni repetitivo.
Low electromagnetic power density: the amount of energy per square meter (measured in W/m²) is low, dispersed, and variable.
No fixed polarization: they vibrate in many random directions (unpolarized).

Electromagnetic power density refers to the amount of energy a field transmits per unit of surface area, expressed in watts per square meter (W/m²). For instance, diffuse solar radiation or an occasional cosmic ray has low and inconsistent power density.

Human cells have evolved exposed to this natural environment, and their biology is adapted to such variability, without any known negative effects.

Artificial Electromagnetic Fields

In contrast, artificial electromagnetic fields—generated by human-made technologies (mobile telephony, WiFi, microwave ovens, antennas)—display very different characteristics. They are distinguished by:

High electromagnetic power density: these signals emit a constant level of energy in areas close to the body.
Fixed polarization: the electric field always vibrates in the same direction (linear or circular).
High electromagnetic power density: these signals emit a constant level of energy in areas close to the body.

For example, a mobile phone during a call can emit around 1–2 W/m² near the ear. A WiFi router can generate between 0.01 and 0.1 W/m² at a one-meter distance. These levels, though legally permitted, have no equivalent in nature.

These structural differences make artificial electromagnetic fields—due to their high coherence, fixed polarization, and constant proximity to the body—capable of interacting with the human organism in a more invasive and disruptive manner. This interaction is not limited to tissue heating (as in a microwave oven); it extends much further: it affects the biochemical balance of cells, even at exposure levels deemed safe under current regulations.

One of the most documented effects is the generation of free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS). These are highly unstable compounds that damage cellular structures such as proteins, lipid membranes, and DNA. According to the report by Yakymenko et al. (2018), prolonged exposure to artificial fields can significantly increase the production of these radicals, resulting in chronic oxidative stress.

This oxidative stress weakens the body’s natural antioxidant defenses and is associated with multiple health problems, such as cellular inflammation, accelerated aging, neurological disorders, and a higher risk of degenerative diseases. It can also disrupt the ionic balance of the cell, affecting calcium and sodium channels that are essential for neuron communication, as well as muscular and hormonal function.

In summary, the human body—designed to coexist with naturally variable fields—is not prepared to endure constant exposure to artificial, repetitive, and highly structured signals, which may silently but cumulatively trigger cellular imbalances. This is one of the reasons why an increasing number of studies recommend minimizing continuous exposure and promoting electromagnetically neutral or modulated environments.

2. Electromagnetic Polarization: Physical and Mathematical Concept

An electromagnetic wave consists of an electric field and a magnetic field, both perpendicular to each other and to the direction of propagation. Polarization describes the orientation of the electric field vector in the transverse plane.

Depending on the amplitudes and phase differences, the field may be:

Linearly polarized: straight trajectory. The electric field oscillates in a fixed direction at all times.
Circularly polarized: circular trajectory. The electric field rotates, tracing a circle in the transverse plane.
Elliptically polarized: elliptical trajectory. The amplitudes differ or the phase shift is not exactly 90°.

These waves are highly ordered and coherent, and they are typical of artificial sources.

3. Biological Impact of Artificial Polarization

Human cells are not isolated structures: they communicate, exchange substances, and generate energy using natural electrical gradients across their membranes. These processes rely on a delicate bioelectrical balance that regulates everything from enzyme activity to gene expression. In this context, highly polarized artificial electromagnetic fields—such as those generated by mobile phones, WiFi, or antennas—can disrupt this balance.

Unlike natural fields, which are chaotic and unpolarized, artificial fields vibrate in a single, fixed direction (linear or circular polarization) and possess a highly ordered structure (high coherence). This regularity makes them biologically “aggressive” signals, as the human body is not designed to endure constant electromagnetic stimulation in the same direction for extended periods.

This polarized structure amplifies the risk of interference with vital cellular functions. The main disrupted mechanisms include:

Interference with cellular communication: Cells communicate through electrical and biochemical signals. A constant polarized field can disrupt this signaling, causing confusion in the “electrical language” used by neurons, hormones, and immune systems. It is akin to trying to speak in a room filled with a constant hum that drowns out your voice.

Alteration of membrane permeability: Cell membranes control the passage of substances via ion channels, which open or close in response to voltage changes. Prolonged exposure to a polarized field can cause abnormal opening of these channels—especially calcium channels—leading to excessive ion influx and triggering metabolic imbalances.

Enzymatic and mitochondrial dysfunction: Mitochondria, which produce cellular energy (ATP), depend on electrical gradients for proper function. If this environment is disrupted, mitochondria may lose efficiency or emit stress signals, impairing energy-related enzymatic processes, cellular repair, and growth.

Activation of oxidative stress and genetic damage: One of the most documented effects is the overproduction of free radicals—highly reactive molecules that damage proteins, lipids, and DNA. Yakymenko et al. (2018) found that over 90% of the studies analyzed showed increased free radical production after exposure to low-intensity but structured radiation (such as from mobile phones). This leads to oxidative stress, a condition that accelerates cellular aging and has been linked to chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative disorders.

4. Effect of Polarization on the Human Body

When assessing the impact of artificial electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the human body, it is not only the amount of energy they carry that matters, but also how that energy is structured. In particular, the polarization of the electromagnetic field—that is, the fixed direction in which the electric field vibrates—may influence biological effects as much as or even more than intensity. Scientific studies (Panagopoulos, Johansson, and Carlo, 2015) have observed that fixed polarization, typical of artificial waves (such as those emitted by mobile phones, antennas, or WiFi networks), significantly increases the ability of these fields to interact with human cells.

The reason is that, by always vibrating in the same direction, a polarized electric field exerts constant forces on the charged molecules present inside and outside of cells, provoking several biological effects.

First, these continuous electrostatic forces act on essential ions (such as Ca²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), which are crucial for nervous system function, muscle contraction, and metabolism. This abnormal electromechanical dragging of ions disrupts their natural distribution, causing imbalances in the ionic environment and perturbing cellular signaling.

Second, exposure to a polarized field can induce the involuntary opening of ion channels in the cell membrane. These channels normally open or close in response to voltage changes; when an external field oscillates consistently in the same plane and at a certain frequency, it can force these channels open—especially calcium channels. As a result, an uncontrolled influx of ions occurs, destabilizing the intracellular environment and triggering cellular stress, enzyme overload, and activation of defense mechanisms attempting to restore balance.

Third, polarized waves tend to generate local constructive interference as they overlap, creating zones where field intensity is amplified. This means that even if the average field intensity is low, in specific areas it can spontaneously multiply. Such localized peaks can damage sensitive cellular structures such as mitochondria, the nucleus, or the cell membrane itself.

These mechanisms help explain why polarized fields are more bioactive than unpolarized fields of the same intensity. One illustrative experiment described in the literature exposed human epithelial cells to ~35 GHz radiation with different polarizations. It was observed that linearly polarized waves caused significant membrane damage and genetic material condensation, while circularly polarized waves of the same intensity had much milder effects. This result demonstrates that the structure of the signal (its polarization) may be more important than its intensity in determining its biological impact.

In conclusion, the human body does not recognize polarized electromagnetic fields as part of its natural environment. As a result, it reacts to them as foreign stimuli capable of altering internal functions—without the need to heat tissues. This type of structural interference does not produce immediate thermal damage, but its effects may be cumulative and systemic, affecting multiple levels of the organism over time. For this reason, the scientific community has begun to consider polarization a key parameter in the study of EMF bioeffects, opening the door to the development of protective technologies that can modulate or neutralize such structures to mitigate their impact on health.

This situation has given rise to a certain degree of concern in society. For this reason, many scientists and International organisations are warning of the biological effects that these emissions can have on people. As a result, EU authorities have advised EU Member States to apply the precautionary principle and scientists and organisations have issued alerts about their potentially harmful biological effects on human health in the long and medium term.