Weak radiofrequency fields affect the insect circadian clock
Abstract
It is known that the circadian clock in Drosophila can be sensitive to static magnetic fields (MFs). Man-made radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields have been shown to have effects on animal orientation responses at remarkably weak intensities in the nanotesla range. Here, we tested if weak broadband RF fields also affect the circadian rhythm of the German cockroach ( Blatella germanica ). We observed that static MFs slow down the cockroach clock rhythm under dim UV light, consistent with results on the Drosophila circadian clock. Remarkably, 300 times weaker RF fields likewise slowed down the cockroach clock in a near-zero static magnetic field. This demonstrates that the internal clock of organisms can be sensitive to weak RF fields, consequently opening the possibility of an influence of man-made RF fields on many clock-dependent events in living systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1098/rsif.2019.0285
Entities
People
- David Dolezel
- Martin Vácha
- Pavel Slaby
- Premysl Bartos
- Radek Netusil
- Thorsten Ritz
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Biology Centre
- Masaryk University
- University of California, Irvine