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The Coupling of Atmospheric Electromagnetic Fields

electric feld facility, a total of 203 healthy subjects were exposed to static electric feld (DC), alternat­

ing electric feld (AC), and hybrid electric feld (EFs) in order to determine the detection thresholds of

electric feld (Kursawe et al., 2021). Te results indicated that detection thresholds of human perception

of DC, AC, and hybrid EL were lower compared to single EF presentation of DC or AC. Ion current

exposure enhanced EF perception. High relative humidity facilitated DC EF perception, whereas low

relative humidity reinforced the perception of AC EFs (Kursawe et al., 2021).

Te frst to point out the biological efects of air electricity was Beccaria of the Turin University, who

said that nature apparently utilizes air electricity on a large scale for the plants growth (Mottelay, 1922).

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, the discovery of air ions by Sir Joseph John Tomson, John

Ludwig Julius Elster, and Hans Friedrich Geitel led to develop the study of the biological efects of air

electricity. Elster and Geitel discovered the small ions in the air to be products of the natural radioactiv­

ity of the air (Fricke, 1992).

From the 1950s to 1980s, Albert Paul Krueger became strongly interested in the efects of electrically

charged air particles on living organisms. He was the pioneer in the research feld of ions. In the context

of investigations of atmospheric phenomenon such as Foehn, heat stress such as headache and tension

due to hot dry desert winds (Sharav), Felix Gad Sulman engaged in research and was a pioneer in bio-

meteorology and bioclimatology (Sulman, 1980).

It is well known that static electric felds infuence the air ionization. Tis has never been taken into

consideration in reported experiments. So, it is difcult to determine whether the reported biological

efects are due to the direct action of the static electric felds or associated changes in air ionization.

Reinhold Reiter made an important point in his book about the study of the biological efects of atmo­

spheric electricity, especially air ions and static electric felds (Reiter, 1992, pp. 447–450). He emphasized

very importantly that it must be pointed out that certain foolish assertions concerning the source and

behavior of small ions have ofen been repeated in the scientifc literature up to the present day, and in

consideration of certain laws in physics and atmospheric physics its assertions are wrong.

3.5.2 Static Electric Field in Vertebrates and Invertebrates

In 1918, Jean-Henri Fabre suggested that invertebrate, Geotrupes respond to atmospheric electric felds.

He described that

Tey seem to be infuenced above all by the electric tension of the atmosphere. On hot and sultry

evenings, when a storm is brewing, I see them moving about even more than usual. Te morrow is

always marked by violent claps of thunder.

Fabre (1918, p. 289)

Tere have been so great interests in the infuence of static electric feld on insect’s behavior. In 1895,

Sigmund Exner, uncle of Karl von Firsch, discovered that the feature of birds and the hairs of mammals

store the electric charge created by friction with other materials (Exner, 1895). Heuschmann observed

that insect cuticle also accumulates electric charge by friction. Te positive charge build-up on fying

insects such as bee has been appreciated for decades (Greggers et al., 2013; Heuschmann, 1929).

Afer the existence of the SR was suggested, research on the efects of atmospheric-derived static

electric felds on living organisms was conducted mainly in Germany. In the 1960s and 1970s, Altmann

studied the efects of static electric felds on vertebrate and invertebrate animals such as house fy, fruit

fy, honey bee, wasps, cockroach, grasshopper, frog, budgerigar mice, and guinea pig. Te efects of static

electric felds on oxygen consumption and protein metabolism in typical representatives of animals

were planned. It was shown that the efects of static electric felds accelerated the metabolism in the

animal body, resulting in a signifcant increase in activity and oxygen consumption (Altmann, 1959,

1969; Altmann and Lang, 1974; Altmann and Soltau, 1974; Altmann and Warnke, 1978, 1979). Te efects

of electric felds of 0, 1.4, and 2.8 kV/m on oxygen consumption, food intake as a swarm, and survival