How 2.4GHz is Going to Kill You

What 2.4 GHz does

A microwave oven uses microwaves to heat food. Microwaves are radio waves. In the case of microwave ovens, the commonly used radio wave frequency is roughly 2,450 megahertz (2.4 gigahertz). Radio waves in this frequency range have an interesting property: they are absorbed by water, fats and sugars. When they are absorbed they are converted directly into atomic motion - heat. Microwaves in this frequency range have another interesting property: they are not absorbed by most plastics, glass or ceramics. Metal reflects microwaves, which is why metal pans do not work well in a microwave oven.

A microwave oven has in it a magnetron, which is a radio transmitter. If it was on a radio mast (don't try this) it would be able to send radio signals a long way. But it is inside a metal box which keeps the signal in. The frequency of the transmitter is 2450MHz (megahertz), which is a wavelength of 12cm (that's why it's micro waves, rather than short waves (several metres), medium waves (hundreds of metres) or long waves (thousands of metres). There's a good reason for the frequency being 2450 Megahertz, which I'll explain.

Food has a high percentage of water, and water is famously H2O. The molecule of water has the O (Oxygen) in the middle, and the two H's (Hydrogen) stuck on it like Mickey Mouse ears at a particular angle (105o). The H's are positive and the O is negative, so the molecule has a + and - end. It has "polarity".

Polarised molecules try to line themselves up with the electrical field, like compass needles trying to point at North.

But because the electrical field is changing 2,450 million times a second the molecules don't quite have time to line up one way before they have to try to line up the other way!

So, anything with water in it has all these molecules being moved this way and that by the electrical field, and heated up.

Where else am I going to find this 'deadly' frequency?

Modern day technologies such as wireless networks and Bluetooth both work in the 2.4GHz spectrum.

802.11b/g wireless works from 2412 MHz ( 2.412 GHz ) to 2485 MHz ( 2.485 GHz ).

Bluetooth devices ( phones, PDAs, etc ) work from 2400 MHz ( 2.4 GHz ) to 2480 MHz ( 2.48 GHz ).

Now picture this

You’re sitting in your nice plush office with your laptop connected wirelessly to the network constantly emitting 2.4 GHz back to the Access Point. You are constantly sitting in the AP’s 2.4 GHz coverage circle.

So you’re typing away quite happily when you suddenly realize that you’ve got to make a phone call, you put your Bluetooth enable phone to your ear and sit on the phone for a bit injecting 2.4 GHz directly into your head.

Maybe you drive around all day and you’ve got a funky Bluetooth headset for you phone. Not so funky….you’re constantly injecting 2.4 GHz straight through your ear into your head.

Now you may be wondering why you haven’t cooked yourself already with all this around you. The saving grace is the transmit power of these devices. Bluetooth transmits at 1mw and AP’s can transmit at up to 100mw. A typical microwave works at 800watts.

There is a distinct difference between the intensity of the radiation among these devices, but the potential is there. More and more of these devices are being manufactured and introduced into our every day life on this deadly frequency. These 1mw and 100mw devices that aren’t so noticeable at the moment are going to become more and more of a problem as they increase in numbers….which they are…rapidly.

…Just something to think about…

Please Email me if you find any holes in my theory or you would like to comment on it. Thank you for your time.
Andrew Rouse
ap@rouse.com