Posted on: Sunday, March 24th 2024 at 4:00 am
The immersive worlds of virtual reality transport us to faraway lands and futuristic adventures - but could this captivating technology come at a hidden cost to our health? As VR's popularity skyrockets, so too do concerns about the invisible radiation these devices emit just inches from our eyes and brains.
Virtual reality (VR) headsets, once a sci-fi dream, are now a booming business poised to top $50 billion by 2027.1 Tech giants like Facebook, Samsung, and soon Apple are racing to dominate the VR market.2 But as the metaverse beckons, health experts warn we may be donning VR headsets at our own peril.
A growing body of research suggests that the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by VR devices - the same non-ionizing radiation produced by cellphones and wireless tech - may pose significant health risks, especially for children.3,4,5 An independent analysis found the popular Oculus Quest VR headset emits radiation up to 5 times higher than the FCC's safety threshold of 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg).2
"Two-way microwave radiation transceivers, in the form of smartphones, should not be used directly in front of children's eyes and brains," cautions University of Utah Professor Om Gandhi, a pioneer in testing wireless radiation absorption.6 "The absence of proof of harm at this point does not mean that we have evidence of safety."6
Indeed, experimental studies link EMF exposure to a range of adverse biological effects. Animal research shows that creatures exposed to EMFs in the womb have offspring with impaired memory, hyperactivity, and altered brain development.4,7 EMFs are also implicated in the formation of stress-induced free radicals that can damage cells and DNA.8,9
Even more alarming, a new paper in Environmental Research used advanced modeling to simulate microwave radiation absorption in the eyes and brains of children versus adults using a cellphone-equipped VR headset. The results were stunning: the child model's eyes and critical brain regions absorbed 2-5 times more radiation than the adult.10
The research site GreenMedInfo has compiled one of the world's largest, open access EMF research databases encompassing over 1,000 studies showing adverse health effects across more than 50 distinct biological mechanisms and 150 disease conditions.11 This vast body of evidence raises serious questions about the safety of chronic EMF exposure, particularly in vulnerable populations like children.
"Children's brains are not fully myelinated and eyes absorb radiation readily due to their high water content," explains study co-author Dr. Mary Redmayne of Monash University. "Placing a two-way microwave radiating device directly in front of young eyes is not a wise choice."6
Researchers voice frustration over the lack of long-term safety data on VR tech. "I may use wireless earbuds for eight hours or more a day, but then those don't put out as much wattage compared to VR headsets," VR marketer and concerned parent Muneeb Fazal told The Epoch Times.2
Wireless safety standards, experts argue, are woefully outdated.5 Based on testing in 1997, FCC guidelines only assess risks of short-term heating effects in large adult male heads and body parts. They fail to consider children's greater radiation absorption or evidence of harm below heating thresholds.4,5
A paradigm-shifting theory by Dr. Chris Busby, the photoelectric effect, may explain how non-ionizing EMFs could wreak such havoc.12 According to Busby, when low doses of non-gamma radiation emitting trace radionuclides such as uranium-238 in the environment contaminate our tissues, even weak EMFs can incite alpha and beta particle emissions, knocking out electrons that spawn highly destructive and potentially carcinogenic free radicals.12
With scientists sounding the alarm, tech titans remain silent. Both Facebook and HTC failed to comment on VR radiation concerns.2 Samsung buries precautions in the fine print, like a warning that children under 13 may face "increased health and safety risk" from their VR headsets.6
Experts agree: until independent research proves VR safe, the smartest path forward is precaution. Schools, they argue, should choose radiation-free VR alternatives to protect students.6 The Environmental Health Trust recommends strict time limits on VR use, increased distance between headsets and the body, and reserving VR for users over 13.6
As VR transports us to brave new worlds, only time will tell what dangers - or wonders - await us there. In the meantime, concerned consumers would be wise to think twice before diving headfirst into the virtual unknown.
References
1. "Virtual Reality (VR) Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report," Grand View Research, accessed March 15, 2023, https://www.grandviewresearch.
2. Autumn Spredemann, "Virtual Reality Headsets Igniting Safety Concerns Over Radiation Levels," The Epoch Times, February 1, 2023, https://www.theepochtimes.com/
3. "IARC Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans," International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, May 31, 2011, https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-
4. "Virtual Reality: EMF & Blue Light Concerns for VR Technology," DefenderShield, July 23, 2021, https://www.defendershield.
5. "4 Health Risks From Using Virtual Reality Headsets," Envirochondriac, accessed March 15, 2023, https://envirochondriac.com/4-
6. "Virtuality Reality Health FAQs," Environmental Health Trust, March 10, 2022, https://ehtrust.org/key-
7. Sharma et al., "Ten Gigahertz Microwave Radiation Impairs Spatial Memory, Enzymes Activity, and Histopathology of Developing Mice Brain," Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 435, no. 1-2 (2017): 1-13, https://doi.org/10.1007/
8. Kesari et al., "Pathophysiology of Microwave Radiation: Effect on Rat Brain," Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 166, no. 2 (2012): 379-388, https://doi.org/10.1007/
9. Maaroufi et al., "Oxidative Stress and Prevention of the Adaptive Response to Chronic Iron Overload in the Brain of Young Adult Rats Exposed to a 150 Kilohertz Electromagnetic Field," Neuroscience 186 (2011): 39-47, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
10. Fernández et al., "Absorption of Wireless Radiation in the Child Versus Adult Brain and Eye from Cell Phone Conversation or Virtual Reality," Environmental Research 167 (2018): 694-699, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
11. "Electromagnetic Field Harms," GreenMedInfo, accessed March 15, 2023, https://www.greenmedinfo.com/
12. Busby, C.; E. Schnug (2008). "Advanced biochemical and biophysical aspects of uranium contamination" (PDF). In: Loads and Fate of Fertilizer-derived Uranium. Margraf Publishers, Weikersheim. pp. 11-22. ISBN 978-3-8236-
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