Geophysical variables and behavior: LXXXVIII. Atmospheric electromagnetism: the possible disturbing influence of natural sferics on ESP

Health and safety implications of exposure to electromagnetic fields in the frequency range 300 Hz to 10 MHz

An international seminar on health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the frequency range from 300 Hz to 10 MHz (referred to as the Intermediate Frequency (IF) range) was held in Maastricht, Netherlands, on 7-8 June 1999. The seminar, organized under the International EMF Project, was sponsored jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), and the Government of the Netherlands. This report does not attempt to summarize all of the material presented at the conference, but focuses on sources of exposure, biophysical and dosimetric considerations pertinent to extrapolating biological data from other frequency ranges to IF and identifies potential health concerns and needs for developing exposure guidelines. This paper is based on presentations at the conference and reports of working groups consisting of the speakers and other experts. It concludes with recommendations for further research aimed at improving health risk assessments in this frequency range.

Atmospheric electromagnetism: attempted replication of the correlation between natural sferics and ESP

In a previous study a negative correlation was found between the natural sferics activity and scores on an ESP task. We attempted a replication in three studies with 37, 100, and 68 participants. In these studies ESP scores and the level of sferics activity were not significantly correlated. The result for all combined data is significant but with a quite low effect size. Other trends in the data could not be confirmed.

Sferics provoke changes in EEG power

The present study investigated electrocortical and psychological influences of Very Low Frequency (VLF) sferics. Eighty female subjects, who were divided into two groups participated in the study. After a 10-minute baseline period the experimental group (n=40) underwent a 10-minute exposure to a previously recorded 10 kHz-sferics impulse, which was presented with a pulse repetition frequency statistically varying between 1 and 3 Hz. After the sferics stimulation, an additional 20 minutes without treatment were recorded in order to examine possible prolonged sferics effects. The control group (n=40) received no treatment. As the physiological dependent measure, the background electroencephalogram (EEG) was registered throughout the course of the experiment. Absolute power values for different EEG frequency bands were determined by means of a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and compared between the two groups at four electrode sites (P3/P4; O1/O2). Also, the emotional and somatic state of the subjects and their ability consciously to perceive sferics were investigated. It could be shown that the two groups were characterized by different courses of EEG alpha and beta power. Whereas the sferics group displayed power increases in both frequency bands, which reached their maximum 20 minutes after the end of exposure, the control group showed a slight power reduction. Sferics had no effect on the subjective state and could not be perceived consciously.