Powerlines

kidakida Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13778Members
<div class="IPBDescription">do they cause brain damage?</div> I live near tall powerlines, the type that are held by huge metal brackets, or whatever you call them.

Just wondering, do they really affect the brain? I' am incessantly hearing a whole bunch of jumbo mumbo from people that they do. And then I hear from other sources that they don't. Your opinion?

Comments

  • AllUrHiveRblong2usAllUrHiveRblong2us By Your Powers Combined... Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11244Members
    I would have to give you a beg negatory on that one.
  • JaspJasp Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13076Members
    edited June 2004
    Well its not the powerlines themselves but the magnetic fields they create, they are meant to create all sorts of nasty things like cancer.

    Although thier is no proof either way that they do or dont. Kind of like mobile phones in that respect and the brain damage thing.

    Gimme a few mins and ill see if i can dig up an article about it.

    <a href='http://www.globaltechnoscan.com/14thMar-20thMar01/power.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.globaltechnoscan.com/14thMar-20thMar01/power.htm</a>

    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Pioneering work by scientists at Bristol University suggesting a link between overhead power lines and ill health, including cancer, appears to be echoed in a new report commissioned by the National Radiological Protection Board.

    Studies by Professor Denis Henshaw and Dr Peter Fews carried out in 1999 indicated that power lines produce electrically charged particles called "corona ions". These attach themselves to airborne pollutants such as exhaust fumes and give them an electrical charge that makes them more likely to be deposited in the lung when inhaled.

    These studies proved controversial and were hotly contested, but a new report from a team led by Sir Richard Doll seems to lend weight to their conclusions.

    Professor Henshaw has himself produced a new assessment of the risks to health of living close to overhead power lines, and has presented the results to the Government. It suggests that several thousand cases of illness per year may be associated with living near high-voltage power lines.

    Based on the evidence from a large, international body of research papers, Professor Henshaw's work indicates an increased risk of childhood leukaemia, skin cancer, lung cancer, other illnesses associated with air pollution, and suicide and depression.

    Professor Henshaw cites current research indicating that magnetic field exposures above 0.3/0.4 micro-Tesla (µT) may double the risk of childhood leukaemia, noting that magnetic field exposures under power lines can exceed 4 µT.

    Several types of illness may be linked with electric field effects associated with power lines. Fourteen extra cases of skin cancer per year may be occurring in those living directly under power lines. Up to 400 metres from power lines, between 250 and 400 cases of lung cancer and three or four thousand cases annually of respiratory, cardiovascular and other illnesses associated with air pollution may result from increased lung deposition of inhaled particles of air pollution that have become electrically charged by corona ions.

    Some 60 cases of suicide annually and up to 9,000 cases of mild depression may be associated with the reduced production of melatonin due to the effect of magnetic fields or of the magnetic field induction of electric currents in the body.

    Professor Henshaw said: "I'm not saying there's a proven link and I certainly don't want to cause unnecessary alarm. At the same time, I do think a full risk assessment of the possible health effects of living near high-voltage power lines, taking account of all possible factors, should be carried out.

    "The possible impact on public health is very significant, and I am concerned that up until now bodies such as the National Radiological Protection Board have not considered the full implications of existing research linking power lines to ill-health. I welcome the fact that this report appears to acknowledge such a link.

    "I have given advice based on the risk assessment to the Government and hope there will be a full and open discussion of all the evidence."

    Professor Henshaw paid tribute to the Spandex Foundation (now the Starfish Trust), and Children with Leukaemia, who have given substantial financial support to his research over many years.

    Ms Joanne Fryer
    University of Bristol
    + 44 117 928 8896<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
  • DragonMechDragonMech Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited June 2004
    No they do not. It takes a VERY strong magentic field to affect the human brain. I would guess it would take several hundred times as powerful to alter your neural system.

    However, magnetic fields <i>can</i> affect your brain. New brain-treatment therapies are in development where people with psychological disorders have strong magnetic fields applied to certain areas of the brain.

    [EDIT] I would also add that, unless your house is less than a few (ie: 10) feet away from these lines (which is against federal regualtions, I believe), they would not have the strength to affect you in the least. All energy fields (gravitational, magnetic, etc.) loose power at a rate of 1/X. In english, the further you get from the energy source, the strength of the field drop at an exponential rate.
  • AllUrHiveRblong2usAllUrHiveRblong2us By Your Powers Combined... Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11244Members
    The magnetic feilds from power lines are not very strong at all, they are far weaker than the magnetic feild created by the Earth, so if magnetism causes cancer, then you're gonna get it either way.
  • MulletMullet Join Date: 2003-04-28 Member: 15910Members, Constellation
    My basketball coach worked for sierra wireless and was around those huge powerlines everyday...he had a brain tumor and almost died.

    He worked around that stuff for over 20 years....I think it can cause damage although I've never looked into it, lol <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • jumpingjodajumpingjoda Join Date: 2003-12-14 Member: 24367Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-AllUrHiveRBelong2Us+Jun 25 2004, 01:12 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (AllUrHiveRBelong2Us @ Jun 25 2004, 01:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> far weaker than the magnetic feild created by the Earth <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Nonsence.
  • AllUrHiveRblong2usAllUrHiveRblong2us By Your Powers Combined... Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11244Members
    edited June 2004
    Go stand next to a telephone pole with a compass. It will still point magnetic north.
  • DragonMechDragonMech Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-AllUrHiveRBelong2Us+Jun 24 2004, 06:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (AllUrHiveRBelong2Us @ Jun 24 2004, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Go stand next to a telephone pole with a compass. It will still point magnetic north.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It depends on how much voltage the lines are carrying and how close you are to the actuall powerlines. A telephone pole hardly carries any current when compared to a main routing line (I think that's the right term). Also, if you climb up that pole (<i><b><u>NOT</u></b></i> a good idea) the compass will show the effect of the field more.
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    Pfftt , ive lived under power lines all my life and the flaming banana ninja pies havent come to take me away .......yet.... *shifty eyes*
  • kidakida Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13778Members
    IcIc...hrummm.../wips out compass.
  • AllUrHiveRblong2usAllUrHiveRblong2us By Your Powers Combined... Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11244Members
    I work with people who have made their living installing high voltage equipment, I have never heard a one of them tell any brain tumor stories.
  • Umbraed_MonkeyUmbraed_Monkey Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9922Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-AllUrHiveRBelong2Us+Jun 24 2004, 07:12 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (AllUrHiveRBelong2Us @ Jun 24 2004, 07:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> The magnetic feilds from power lines are not very strong at all, they are far weaker than the magnetic feild created by the Earth, so if magnetism causes cancer, then you're gonna get it either way. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Not only that, the cables themselves are arranged such that they cancel each others magnetic fields out. So its really really weak.
  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    I will have to agree with allurhive... since it does drop at an exponential rate.. it would take extremely outrageous amounts of current to produce a magnetic field that may cause brain damage. Much like those ludicrious ads that show cell phones cause cancer.. silly people.
  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    Electro magnetic hurts the brain, this board is a proof of that ;D
  • DragonMechDragonMech Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Jun 24 2004, 06:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Jun 24 2004, 06:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Electro magnetic hurts the brain, this board is a proof of that ;D <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> lol

    Actually, they can heal if used right. Some people with severe depression have been cured by the application of a high-strength magnetic field to certain parts of their brain.
  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Dragon_Mech+Jun 25 2004, 02:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dragon_Mech @ Jun 25 2004, 02:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Jun 24 2004, 06:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Jun 24 2004, 06:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Electro magnetic hurts the brain, this board is  a proof of that ;D <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> lol

    Actually, they can heal if used right. Some people with severe depression have been cured by the application of a high-strength magnetic field to certain parts of their brain. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah of course, ruin the offending part of the brain <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    There has been study recently into the role electric and magnetic fields play in the healing of the body. Resarchers have found that a electric field develops accross a wound due to a chemicial gradient. This electric field tells the repair cells the direction in which to grow. It's slighty possible (I am saying this as an interpretation of the aforementioned study and, as such, possibly entirely rubbish.) that the electric field could interfere with some healing processes.

    --Scythe--
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    On a related note, a novel by Stanislaw Lem features small, robotic "insects". These "insects", actually the result of a "dead evolution", are the victors of fights that spanned the whole planet of Regis III, thousands of years before a human ship, the Kondor, landed and vanished there. They fought not by means of normal weapons, but by banding together into huge clouds and emitting an incredibly strong magnetic field that quite simply destroyed the electronic brains of their opponents. The field had the same effect on biological life, completely wiping out their entire memory, causing total amnesia. But we're talking magnetic fields thousands of times more powerful than what powerlines emit, magnetic fields that even metal helmets (faradayic cages, fellas) wouldn't help against: They'd simply overheat.

    But that's all fiction anyway. Pay no heed to it. Nor to the powerlines. Still better than sitting in the dark with (gasp!) no internet.
  • TenSixTenSix Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7932Members
    <a href='http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html#1' target='_blank'>Overall, most scientists consider that the evidence that power line fields cause or contribute to cancer is weak to nonexistent.</a>

    Don't just take that tidbit as evidence, check out the <a href='http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html#23' target='_blank'>list of reasons why its unlikely power lines have anything to do with an elevated risk of cancer.</a>

    And just to be balanced, you can also see the list of the evicence <i>for</i> cancer causing powerlines <a href='http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html#22' target='_blank'>at the same site</a>.
  • DubbilexDubbilex Chump Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9799Members
    I definitely saw this on the news a bit ago - apparently women who lived near large powerlines were shown to be far more likely to getting breast cancer. And I mean incredibly more likely - like 30 percent or so.

    Of course, I have no solid figures, and no proof but for what I remember. And if you don't have breasts, you might be allright. But it has been shown that powerlines can negatively affect health - and has been proven so.
  • raz0rraz0r Join Date: 2003-07-24 Member: 18395Members
    My school had a powr line running right through the back end of the field.
    I'm not dead yet(i think), so i think it's safe to say, power lines do not affect health
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Dubbilex+Jun 25 2004, 11:38 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dubbilex @ Jun 25 2004, 11:38 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I definitely saw this on the news a bit ago - apparently women who lived near large powerlines were shown to be far more likely to getting breast cancer. And I mean incredibly more likely - like 30 percent or so.

    Of course, I have no solid figures, and no proof but for what I remember. And if you don't have breasts, you might be allright. But it has been shown that powerlines can negatively affect health - and has been proven so. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    people can make up statistics to prove anything, 26% of all people know that <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    edited June 2004
    I'm pretty sure that these likelihoods(sp?) of illness are more closely tied to simply being poor than living near these power lines.

    I don't want to overgeneralize, but I was under the impression that land with those big powerlines running over it was vastly cheaper than other land.


    You have to realize that you have electric fields running through your body every second of every day. Just because you turn off the radio doesn't mean that you're still not *getting* all 50 stations plus all cellphone transmissions plus gobs of other signals running through your body.
  • DubbilexDubbilex Chump Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9799Members
    Acording to the Department of the interior (I believe), the government reserves the right to put power lines or railroad tracks and the like through any privately-owned land they'd like. They usually choose farmland, for the low population density and the wide open-ness.

    But quite honestly - if you don't believe my breast cancer allusion, I shall search madly for proof that I may post here.
  • antifreezeantifreeze The guy with the goods&#33; Join Date: 2003-05-12 Member: 16232Members, Constellation
    I live next to a power transformer. The only probem that causes is on an insanly quiet day, you can hear a slight buzzing.

    Although to quote from a friend of mine when i read the topic description to him:
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->It depends how hard you hit your head against them<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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