Electromagnetism - Was the DHARMA Initiative Right?

For the last six years, a television show called "LOST" has sucked millions of viewers into a prime time coma at least one day a week. However, the remaining six days we are left contemplating outcomes and asking hundreds of questions revolving around this mysterious island and its destined inhabitants.

The one topic that seems to carry through the entire saga is electromagnetism. Electromagnetism, also referred to as "the pocket of energy", seems to be a pivotal focal point of occurrences on the "LOST" island.

A government-like testing group called the DHARMA Initiative has been set up on this "LOST" island, creating stations over ground, underground, and underwater to research and conduct a variety of experiments. Research included psychological, observation, communication, space-time manipulation, zoological, and electromagnetic research.

There are many controversies over how much of this dramatic television show is imagination and how much of it is fact based. The topic that sticks out in my mind is the electromagnetic research. It appears as though a lot of what happens revolves around the 'incident'. The 'incident' was later defined as an event caused during the construction of the Swan Station in 1977. It was first mentioned in the Swan orientation video, where Dr. Marvin Candle said that the Incident resulted in the protocol of pushing the button in the Swan Station to be created. By pushing the button every 108 minutes, the electromagnetic buildup would be discharged. However, when we get to know Desmond, the button pusher, we learn that he blames himself for not hitting the button on time the day the famous Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on the island. Eventually, Desmond, unsure if the reason he was pushing the button all these years was really for a purpose, decides to turn the fail safe key, releasing and blowing up the Swan Station. It seems as though so many questions arise from this one topic of electromagnetism and wonder if there is more 'incidents' that we, the viewers, aren't aware of or have not linked together yet.

Such as:

1. What is electromagnetism?
2. Can high electromagnetic surges cause a plane to fall from the sky?
3. When the Swan Station blew up releasing that much electromagnetism, why wasn't anyone killed?
4. Do land masses normally have an electromagnetic charge?
5. Why aren't there more scientists interested in this island if it hosts such electromagnetic power?

Before I start diving into these questions of "LOST" vs. reality, here is a fun fact. The "LOST" writers created a character named Daniel Faraday. Daniel Faraday is a scientist and physicist who spent his live studying time displacement theories and performing experiments sending one's consciousness through time. In reality, Michael Faraday would be comparable to Daniel Faraday. The real Faraday was a chemist and physicist who contributed to the field of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Many of Michael Faraday's electromagnetism laws and experimental studies fall quite nicely in line with "LOST".

So what exactly is electromagnetism? Electromagnetism, simply defined, is magnetism developed by a current of electricity. This simple definition brings us to answer our second question...electromagnetic energy or radiation that is emitted from the electromagnetic waves transmit information such as light, heat, etc., from one material to another. The electromagnetic surge, which was released during Desmond's delay in pressing the containment button, can interrupt airplane equipment.

Magnetism has been known to disorient a compass, so if that amount of magnetism is magnified by tens of thousands that could confuse an airplane's navigational system which would cause the pilot to possibly fly beneath the clouds in order to make a fix on their location or avoid whatever interference is causing the problem. This of course would not cause the 'LOST' Oceanic Flight 815 to break apart, however the stationary magnetic field that the plane was flying into could have possibly used the plane as a conductor. This scenario is called electromagnetic induction and induced electrical current can generate sparks and create a fire or an explosive hazard. Most jetliners have their fuel stored in the wings of the plane; some carry it in the tail. If you watch Oceanic Flight 815 break in mid air, the writers have it break apart right behind the wings, separating the tail section from the front of the plane, which is possible and real a explanation for what may happen when electromagnetic induction ignites a fuel tank.

The small surge of electromagnetic energy that crashed the plane is nothing compared to the electromagnetic pulse that was released when the Swan Station exploded. "LOST" fans have deemed this occurrence in the "LOST" timeline as 'discharge'. This is actually correct terminology because the electromagnetic field discharged from the pocket within the island. Depending on the strength of the discharge, indirect effects of an electromagnetic pulse can be a white flash, similar to a nuclear double flash, minor earthquake, moderate damage to buildings, and a loud low frequency sound wave. Most of these occurred during the 'discharge'.

All of the "LOST" survivors were pretty close to ground zero when the Swan Station exploded, yet no one, except Desmond, seemed to have any severe side effects. Scientists have been very inconclusive when it comes to evidence suggesting that exposure to high electromagnetic radiation can cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress, nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems. Death can of course be a given occurrence, however in my research on this topic I was not able to locate that high electromagnetic radiation causes immediate death, it is more like it triggers tumors or other health conditions that lead to death.

This "LOST" island is very unique and makes you wonder if the land under your feet contains electromagnetic energy. The answer to that is yes. Electromagnetism is everywhere, however it seems to be stronger in some areas more than others. Offshore from Townsville, Queensland in Australia there is an island that they call 'Magnetic Island'. The island had gotten its name due to the magnetic effects that it has on ships compasses sailing up the coast of Australia. Many people have searched the island for reasons that could have caused the compass malfunction to happen, however nothing has ever been discovered. This leads us into our last question...

Why is there only the DHARMA Initiative and plane crash/ship wreck survivors on the island? You would think that with the amount of electromagnetic phenomena screaming out from the island that more scientists would be interested in exploring. Well, it's pretty hard to explore something when you can't see or find it. We've already discussed how magnetism can throw off navigation, but what are the chances of the island being invisible? This concept, along with the "LOST" island starting to jump through time, reminded me of some stories I've heard back about the WWII era where the government performed experiments on a small destroyer ship. An intense magnetic field was created around the ship to cause the light to bend around the ship creating an optical invisibility as well as cloaking the ship from enemy radar. The experiment was labeled "The Philadelphia Experiment", however the trial was never accepted to have occurred. Daniel Faraday does say "light scatters different here", which makes the island a perfect scenario for this effect. An effect that light and electromagnetism are related, that was called the 'Faraday Effect', studied by our very own, real life Faraday.

Electromagnetism...was the DHARMA Initiative right? Is there something special about this island when it comes to electromagnetic breakthroughs? In my personal opinion, as a woman of science, I believe that this enticing television show depicts a scientific reality that researchers are just tapping into. We know what electromagnetism is capable of, but we do not know all of the reasoning, interactions, and side effects that can occur in our world when mixing this energy with other concepts. The DHARMA Initiative can be easily compared to current science at its best and at its most dangerous time. Knowledge harnesses the ability to understand when things should be undiscovered or just simply left alone. The DHARM Initiative found something great locked within the island... something that they had to explore and tap into... but discovering something great doesn't necessarily mean that it's good.

With only a few more episodes to go before "LOST" leaves the weekly television, it's only a matter of time before the answers are revealed and truths are discovered.

Sources:

www.wikipedia.com

www.lostpedia.com

www.magnetic-island.com.au

www.unitedstatesaction.com