Wi-Fi and Health Risks

On Science-ish, a Maclean’s blog about fact-checking health claims, Julia Belluz looks at the question of whether wireless networks pose health risks. Leaving aside the question of whether radio-frequency electromagnetic fields pose a health risk (I’m doubtful, but let’s leave it aside for the moment), Wi-Fi operates at far lower power levels than other RF sources: for example, less than one percent of a cell phone. “Singling out WiFi as a threat, in isolation from other (higher intensity) RF sources, then, seems quite science-ish. And those who banned WiFi in schools should consider dumping radios, cell phones, TVs, and — why not? — some of the WHO’s other ‘possibly carcinogenic’ substances, like coffee and baby powder.” You’d think we’d have had several generations of brain cancer from portable radios by now, if Wi-Fi was that much of a threat.