Thanks for your information Alan. The evidence right now is inconclusive--there is no conclusive evidence to say it is definitely not harmful either. Mobile phone technology has been around for such a short time--it's hard to say if chronic exposure of 24/7 can cause damage.

I see this as a right to information issue, as you pointed out. If there is significant concern among the public that these base stations can be harmful, we have a right to know and to make an informed decision. I heard from neighbors that the mobile phone companies even deny where these base stations are when you phone them up and confront them about problems with these stations.

Also--these are residential buildings--I wonder if it's legal to rent out these properties for commercial activities.

I am not sure the tea pot reasoning applies in here because testing of the claim (no effect of micro-waves on human body) is within the reach of science; unlike the claim of the teapot around Mars orbit. Russell’s logical construction refers to something that is entirely and forever beyond verification.

Anyway, interesting case of practical application of philosophy.

Also, view point depends on sitting point. Personally, I would be uneasy having some kind powerful micro-wave emitter next to my bedroom never mind what is the current legal status of the harmfulness or harmlessness of the micro-waves.

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Thanks

IC

I do not know whether the inverse-square law applies for the emitter. If the radiation is directional for example (as a beam) - it may not.

Microwaves are not enough energetic to break the atomic bonds in the particles (e.g. DNA) yet they do induce an electric current within the body’s electrolytes, nerve synapses, etc. As far as I know, this effect was the concern and subject of the research including both: physiological testing and statistical observations. It is possible to find on the Internet reports on lab testing of the brain cells. They show evidences of harmful effect from radiation of mobile phone intensity.

Permissible levels of pollution, UV radiation (in beauty parlors), X-ray dosages, content of preservatives in food, noise level, wet temperature (in mining), CO, CO2, SO2 concentration (in mining), distance to emitters, e-coli in water, etc. vary from country to country and change over the years. The permissible level of electromagnetic field intensity (whatever is its definition) varies among European countries by a factor up to 90! The safe distance of the emitter to the residences is calculated based on this. It is not assumed safe by default. Hopefully, the emitter that started this thread was situated in compliance with some Hong Kong standard. That can be enquired and checked, I suppose.

Something that makes my food to explode in the microwave oven makes me at least inquisitive. Hard to balance between barking dog and the emitter. May be dog, just give him a good bone to chew on it…