Panic now!!: The Terrible Truth About Wi-Fi
Meanwhile, Julia Stephenson has replied to Ben Goldacre’s criticism of her laughably unscientific (“Any imbalance in our electromagnetic field creates a disturbance in cell structure and function, which can lead to illness in sensitive individuals”) article on electrosensitivity:
At one time scientists assured us the earth was flat and that mercury, asbestos, the atomic bomb and cigarettes were harmless. Today many assure us that GM crops, mobile phones and pesticides are safe. Yet history must surely advise caution before we rush headlong to embrace all that technology has to offer.
She has yet to address any of the criticisms raised on the Independent’s letters page; this particular letter deserves double points for mentioning another popular urban myth:
Sir: It is telling that reports on the negative effect of cellphone masts and wireless internet are mostly confined to Britain. It leads one to believe that they are not a medical phenomenon but a cultural-specific syndrome, much akin to the cases of “penis panic” seen in South-east Asia.
THOMAS ALBERS
LONDON NW3