Possible molecular and cellular mechanisms at the basis of atmospheric electromagnetic field bioeffects

Michal Cifra,Lluis M Mir,Francesca Apollonio,Micaela Liberti,Tomás García-Sánchez

doi:10.1007/s00484-020-01885-1

Abstract

Mechanisms of how electromagnetic (EM) field acts on biological systems are governed by the same physics regardless of the origin of the EM field (technological, atmospheric...), given that EM parameters are the same. We draw from a large body of literature of bioeffects of a man-made electromagnetic field. In this paper, we performed a focused review on selected possible mechanisms of how atmospheric electromagnetic phenomena can act at the molecular and cellular level. We first briefly review the range of frequencies and field strengths for both electric and magnetic fields in the atmosphere. Then, we focused on a concise description of the current knowledge on weak electric and magnetic field bioeffects with possible molecular mechanisms at the basis of possible EM field bioeffects combined with modeling strategies to estimate reliable outcomes and speculate about the biological effects linked to lightning or pyroelectricity. Indeed, we bring pyroelectricity as a natural source of voltage gradients previously unexplored. While very different from lightning, it can result in similar bioeffects based on similar mechanisms, which can lead to close speculations on the importance of these atmospheric electric fields in the evolution.

Highlights

Life evolved and persisted in the environment where, among other factors, it is permanently exposed to natural electromagnetic field, often termed as natural electromagnetic background or electromagnetic noise
We first focused on clarification of the parameters of natural electromagnetic background present on Earth in the context of mechanisms of how the electromagnetic field could affect organisms
We concluded that a multiscale modeling approach integrating the molecular response to field coupled to cellular and tissue and whole organism level is crucial for a complete understanding of electromagnetic field bioeffects

Summary

Introduction

Life evolved and persisted in the environment where, among other factors, it is permanently exposed to natural electromagnetic field (nEMF), often termed as natural electromagnetic background or electromagnetic noise.

Section 1: Parameters of the natural electromagnetic field

Section 3: Natural sources of voltage gradients in the atmosphere

Conclusion