Health and Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields / Edition 1

by William Bennett Jr.

Overview

Recent articles in the press have explored a possible link between cancer and such familiar sources of electromagnetic fields as power-distribution lines or electronic appliances. In this book a distinguished physicist evaluates the properties of low-frequency electromagnetic fields and their interactions with the human body and concludes that the health risks from these interactions have been vastly overstated.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300057638
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	06/22/1994
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Bennett, William Ralph, Jr. (Yale Univ)

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: William Hallenbeck, DrPh (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Description: This book concerns a very current and important public health topic: the physics and health effects of electromagnetic (EM) radiation from household appliances, electric transmission lines, and electric trains.
Purpose: The author seeks to present a review of the physics and health effects of EM radiation to persuade the reader that EM radiation presents no public health threat.
Audience: The book is intended for all types of readers. However, because most of the book dwells on the details of the physics of EM radiation, a background in physics or bioengineering is helpful. Fortunately, the author is able to synthesize and summarize this complicated topic so that most readers will be able to gain much insight into this field.
Features: The book contains helpful notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. There are several useful tables and figures.
Assessment: This is a very useful book for those interested in the physics and health effects of EM radiation. The author does an excellent job of describing the physics and physiological interaction of EM radiation. Readers with a background in bioengineering will likely derive the most benefit from this book. The author does an excellent job of summarizing physics and biological data so that any reader will be able to obtain much insight into this complicated field. The author is quite successful in convincing the reader that EM fields from household appliances, electrical transmission and distribution lines, and electric trains are very unlikely to cause significant health effects in humans.

Doody's Review Service

4 Stars! from Doody

This book concerns a very current and important public health topic: the physics and health effects of electromagnetic (EM) radiation from household appliances, electric transmission lines, and electric trains. The author seeks to present a review of the physics and health effects of EM radiation to persuade the reader that EM radiation presents no public health threat. The book is intended for all types of readers. However, because most of the book dwells on the details of the physics of EM radiation, a background in physics or bioengineering is helpful. Fortunately, the author is able to synthesize and summarize this complicated topic so that most readers will be able to gain much insight into this field. The book contains helpful notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. There are several useful tables and figures. This is a very useful book for those interested in the physics and health effects of EM radiation. The author does an excellent job of describing the physics and physiological interaction of EM radiation. Readers with a background in bioengineering will likely derive the most benefit from this book. The author does an excellent job of summarizing physics and biological data so that any reader will be able to obtain much insight into this complicated field. The author is quite successful in convincing the reader that EM fields from household appliances, electrical transmission and distribution lines, and electric trains are very unlikely to cause significant health effects in humans.

William Hallenbeck

Bennett (physics, Yale U.) reports the findings of a study he conducted for the US Committee of Interagency Radiation Research and Policy Coordination. He examines in detail the highly publicized and controversial studies suggesting that the electromagnetic fields generated by power lines, electric blankets, hairdryers, computer terminals, etc. are bad for the health. Nonsense, he says, producing his own figures showing that the body generates much stronger fields internally. Too technical for the general lay reader. Double spaced. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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