Henshaw Denis L, Philips Alasdair
Atmospheric Chemistry Group, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Independent Scientist, Brambling, Beeswing, Dumfries, Scotland, UK.
Int J Radiat Biol. 2025;101(2):186-204. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2024.2435329. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
Human electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) or electrosensitivity (ES) symptoms in response to anthropogenic electromagnetic fields (EMFs) at levels below current international safety standards are generally considered to be nocebo effects by conventional medical science. In the wider field of magnetoreception in biology, our understanding of mechanisms and processes of magnetic field (MF) interactions is more advanced.
We consulted a range of publication databases to identify the key advances in understanding of magnetoreception across the wide animal kingdom of life.
We examined primary MF/EMF sensing and subsequent coupling to the nervous system and the brain. Magnetite particles in our brains and other tissues can transduce MFs/EMFs, including at microwave frequencies. The radical pair mechanism (RPM) is accepted as the main basis of the magnetic compass in birds and other species, acting via cryptochrome protein molecules in the eye. In some cases, extraordinary sensitivity is observed, several thousand times below that of the geomagnetic field. Bird compass disorientation by radio frequency (RF) EMFs is known.
Interdisciplinary research has established that all forms of life can respond to MFs. Research shows that human cryptochromes exhibit magnetosensitivity. Most existing provocation studies have failed to confirm EHS as an environmental illness. We attribute this to a fundamental lack of understanding of the mechanisms and processes involved, which have resulted in the design of inappropriate and inadequate tests. We conclude that future research into EHS needs a quantum mechanistic approach on the basis of existing biological knowledge of the magnetosensitivity of living organisms.
人类电磁超敏反应（EHS）或电敏感（ES）症状是指在低于当前国际安全标准的人为电磁场（EMF）环境下出现的反应，传统医学通常认为这是一种安慰剂效应。在生物学中更广泛的磁感受领域，我们对磁场（MF）相互作用的机制和过程有了更深入的理解。
我们查阅了一系列出版物数据库，以确定在整个动物界对磁感受理解的关键进展。
我们研究了初级MF/EMF传感以及随后与神经系统和大脑的耦合。我们大脑和其他组织中的磁铁矿颗粒可以转换MFs/EMFs，包括微波频率的电磁场。自由基对机制（RPM）被认为是鸟类和其他物种磁罗盘的主要基础，通过眼睛中的隐花色素蛋白分子起作用。在某些情况下，观察到了非凡的敏感性，比地磁场低数千倍。已知射频（RF）电磁场会使鸟类罗盘迷失方向。
跨学科研究已经证实，所有生命形式都能对MF做出反应。研究表明，人类隐花色素具有磁敏感性。大多数现有的激发性研究未能证实EHS是一种环境疾病。我们将此归因于对所涉及的机制和过程根本缺乏了解，这导致了设计不恰当和不充分的测试。我们得出结论，未来对EHS的研究需要在现有生物体磁敏感性生物学知识的基础上采用量子力学方法。
