Does Wi-Fi Kill Trees?

Technology is changing the health of the environment and in humans in ways we cannot yet begin to understand. While we marvel at the amazing tools technology gives us, and talk about how the world has turned into a global village, we don't give much thought to how technology could be harming humans and all of nature.

Wi-Fi Use on Upswing

And many people now use Wi-Fi all the time, even when they are at home. Laptop computers are all the rage and a desk top computer is often now deemed as stuffy and archaic. Is the radiation from Wi-Fi systems wreaking havoc with the planet?

Studies are starting to show that the radio magnetic radiation involved in Wi-Fi is causing damage to trees, notes the Los Angeles Times. In tests undertaken at Wageningen University of the Netherlands to try to understand why trees were showing signs of damage including rips in the tree bark, dead leaves and bleeding in the tree, it was found that Wi-Fi use contributed to the decline in tree health.

Another odd effect found in the study is that Wi-Fi also damages the growth of corn cobs. Will other crops start showing odd signs of damage or decay as use of Wi-Fi becomes ever more wide spread?

Tree Death

Trees exposed to Wi-Fi networks had changes to the leaves and premature death of the leaves. Around 70 percent of all trees in the Netherlands urban areas showed signs of damage from Wi-Fi, while five years ago only ten percent had this kind of damage, notes the Wageningen study. Trees in heavily forested areas did not show the same problems as trees located in areas with high Wi-Fi use.

This study also revealed that trees in other parts of the Western world were also experiencing unusual early death of leaves, damage in growth and rips in the tree bark. In urban areas with high traffic levels, pollution from vehicles is also contributing to tree damage, notes PC World.

Radiation & the Health of Humans

How is radiation impacting humans and trees? The reports are alarming and much more study is needed to document the changes that technology is bringing to the world.

Much more investigation is needed to determine how the use of Wi-Fi, cell phones and laptop computers may be damaging human health and that of the environment too.

And other controversial topics like global warming, ozone and acid rain are often blamed for tree death too. It is hard to isolate one single aspect of the environment to see exactly what is causing such unusual amounts of tree death around the world.

Reading List

To read more about other studies and reports on this topic go HERE, HERE and HERE.

Sources:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.wageningenuniversity.nl/NL/nieuwsagenda/nieuws/Bomen101120.htm&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/211219/wifi_makes_trees_sick_study_says.html

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/11/wi-fi-might-be-harmful-to-trees-can-cause-bleeding-and-bark-tears-study-says.html