8 Electromagnetic Radiation and Life : Bioelementological Point of View

Life on Earth has formed and evolved under exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of the Sun, which is the most potent natural source of electromagnetic waves. Besides the Sun, electromagnetic oscillations form during lightning strikes. Also, there is geomagnetic background of our planet. Artificial electromagnetic radiation is produced by different electrical equipment, electric motors, radars, transmitters, computers, mobile phones and other devices. It is impossible to imagine modern civilization without television, radio, telemetry, radars and navigation systems. Along with the traditional technical use of almost the whole scale of electromagnetic waves, there expands their practical application in various fields: medicine, biology, agriculture and biotechnology. The Sun radiates its energy almost over the whole scale of electromagnetic waves, including radio, ultra high frequency and optical ranges as well as the range of ionizing radiation. Basically, all the energy of Sun’s EMR lies within the wavelength range from 1500 Å to 5 mm, and the share of our planet is an enormous amount of energy equal to 2×1017 watts per second. There was emerged a new science electromagnetobiology, which deals with a part of the general problem of biological effects of mild and ultramild physical and chemical factors. It is believed that the action of such factors lies below the threshold for activation of protective biological mechanisms and therefore is capable of cumulating at the subcellular level. Manmade electromagnetic pollution is increasing very rapidly: during the last 45 years, as estimated, electromagnetic pollution has grown 45-50 thousand times. Currently the world is published several thousand articles on electromagnetobiology per year. Standards on electromagnetic safety for man are developed by a number of different national and international organizations. Thus, the biological effects of ultramild agents, particularly EMR, are a fundamental scientific problem with distinct application-oriented character. Apparently, there is no other external factor, which would have such a powerful influence on living objects as electromagnetic waves do. In the biosphere permanently occur periodic electromagnetic processes with frequencies distributed throughout the whole electromagnetic spectrum. It is natural to assume that any part of this spectrum has played a certain role in the evolution of living organisms, affecting their vital processes. For example, a trace effect of low frequency natural electromagnetic fields on living organisms could be fixed in the form of biorhythmic oscillations. Though electromagnetic waves existed on Earth ever, the mankind “has guessed” about the existence of this form of matter only in the