What is radiofrequency electromagnetic energy?
Radiofrequency electromagnetic energy (EME), also known as electromagnetic radiation (EMR), is waves of electric and magnetic energy moving together through space. EME is part of everyday life, emitted by natural sources like the Sun, the Earth and the ionosphere, as well as artificial sources such as: • mobile phone base stations • broadcast towers • radar facilities • remote controls and • electrical and electronic equipment. Radiofrequency EME is non-ionising radiation. This means that it is not able to directly impart enough energy to a molecule or to break chemical bonds or remove electrons such that the structure is changed. In contrast, ionising radiation (such as can strip electrons from atoms and molecules. This process produces molecular changes that can lead to damage in biological tissue. It is important not to confuse the terms ‘ionising’ and nonionising’ when discussing biological effects of EME, because each type of radiation interacts differently with the human body.
