Understanding the Study
One of the most insulting statements that can be made regarding electromagnetic radiation exposure is that "it's not a problem, and even if it was a problem, there's nothing we can do about it." As it turns out, humans are miraculously successful at adapting to environmental pressures. This recent study out of India proposes a printed circuit board that can effectively reduce the specific absorption rate (SAR) of a wide range of frequencies in the 5G band.
The physical principle operating in this study is that of Lenz's Law, where a changing magnetic field induces a current in a circuit which counteracts that initial changing magnetic field itself. The physics here is sound, though it may take some time to sink in. Most second semester university physics courses will generally cover this topic.
The SAR value is uniquely important from a physics perspective as it is a measure of the absorbed radiation power per unit of body mass (watts per kilogram). Studies which report extreme effects of electromagnetic radiation exposure without also reporting the SAR value must be taken with a grain of salt. We must know what SAR values are being used to determine whether or not action should be taken with regard to public policy.
The Case for Concern
The authors reasonably argue that the sudden increase in exposure to electromagnetic radiation in the 5G frequency range is concerning for public health. However, the study does not focus on these concerns and instead explores a possible solution to this issue.
The Case for Confidence
As mentioned above, this study is a prime example of the human ability to adapt to environmental pressures. It runs directly in the face of those who claim that there is no solution to increasing exposure to electromagnetic radiation. The authors show conclusive experimental evidence that such a printed circuit board as the one used here does indeed have the ability to reduce the power of incoming electromagnetic radiation (in a specific portion of the 5G frequency range) through a simple application of Lenz's Law.
The authors also produced a simulation of a human head which was placed between a transmitting antenna and receiving antenna. Five different 5G frequencies of electromagnetic radiation were simulated. Placing the printed circuit board material on the transmitting antenna resulted in a 95% decrease (or more) in the specific absorption rate for each frequency simulated. If proven experimentally in the future, this will represent a significant advancement in the field of SAR reduction.
Final Analysis
This study does not directly address the legitimacy of claims regarding the supposed dangers of electromagnetic radiation. However, the study does indicate that, if such dangers do exist, they can be properly mitigated through the use of novel engineering solutions. The physical principles and explanations provided in the paper are scientifically sound and represent legitimate research toward SAR reduction.
References
P. Routray and D. Ghosh, AEU - International Journal of Electronics and Communications 193, 155709 (2025).