Mobile carriers around the world are busy plowing resources into 5G networks that could vastly increase connection speeds. That’s not going to happen overnight, though. Some 5G networks are actually slower than the 4G ones they replace. A small but vocal minority claims the rush to 5G had more serious consequences. They believe 5G is damaging to human health and have gone so far as to wear special accessories to ward off the 5G boogeyman. According to Dutch regulators, many of the products are themselves radioactive. It almost makes you miss the days when snake oil was just a placebo.
The anxiety over wireless signals is not new — people crusaded against Wi-Fi when it began to appear, and many still believe talking on a cell phone can cause brain tumors. There’s no evidence for any of this, but it hasn’t stopped people from fearing 5G. The products aimed at this group usually rely on “negative ions,” which simply refers to atoms that have gained an electron to have a net negative charge. There’s a lot of pseudoscientific woo that says negative ions can improve your health, make food healthier, and yes, even protect you from 5G.
According to the Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS), some of these products really do produce negative ions. Those ions won’t do you any good, but they’re not harmful. The issue is the mechanism that generates negative ions: radiation. After all, we’re talking about necklaces and bracelets, which don’t have power sources. A little radiation goes a long way, though.
The amount of radiation streaming from products like the “quantum pendant” is low enough that you could handle it for short periods. Based on some past analyses, the radiation most likely comes from the element thorium, which can be sourced by manufacturers as pure thorium dioxide powder or as crushed thorium-bearing minerals. Over time, these materials can shed and cover your skin and belongings with radioactive dust. In addition, they remain in contact with the same section of skin, which can cause acute tissue damage over time.
Yes, a radioactive sleep mask so you can zap your head all night long.
Long-term exposure from just one such product is enough to increase the risk of cancer, especially when you figure in radiation exposure from typical sources like air travel and medical imaging. Some sellers also make bundles with necklaces, bracelets, and even sleep masks. Wearing more than one will boost radiation exposure to very unsafe levels.
The ANVS has a full list of products that have been tested and found to be radioactive, some of which are marketed as safe for children. Needless to say, they are not. While some negative ion products are complete scams, you never know which ones are going to come with a radioactive payload. It’s best to avoid them all, because as we’ve explained in the past, 5G is not dangerous.
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