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Bioelectromagnetism
of honey bees were compared in electric feld and in Faraday cages. Te electric feld changes oxygen
consumption and food intake. Increased oxygen consumption and increased food intake was found in
bees, cockroaches, Indian stick insects, and wasps during exposure to weak static electric feld. Altmann
observed an increase in metabolic rate was accompanied by an increase in food consumption (sugar
water) in various animal species and higher mortality under the infuence of the feld. For example, bees
showed substantially higher oxygen consumption in the static electric feld than that of control bees
in a Faraday cage. It was reported that the static electric feld has a stimulating efect on metabolism
in guinea pigs (Altmann, 1962). In 1969, static electric felds in the studies by Altmann were 0.42 and
1 kV/m. Te control was the Faraday cage condition. Te metabolic activity such as oxygen consump
tion was compared to that of the Faraday cage condition. In guinea pigs exposed to the static electric
feld of 0.42 kV/m, the increase in activity was related to higher oxygen consumption, and free amino
acid levels increased in all animals compared to Faraday shielding. It was shown that the static electric
feld accelerated the metabolism in the animals and greatly increased their activity level and oxygen
consumption. Guinea pigs were exposed to the normal condition, the Faraday cage condition, and an
electric feld of 0.24 kV/m at 10 Hz for 13 days each. Blood, hematocrit, and protein were examined. Te
results showed that there were diferences in the composition of the proteins (Altmann and Soltau,
1974). Te three conditions were Faraday cage shield, 3.5 kV/m with 10 Hz and 3.5 kV/m were set up to
see which of these the mice would choose (Altmann and Lang, 1974). Te mouse nest location was in a
shielded condition, and 10 Hz was the preferred play location. Te same experiment was conducted with
normal electric felds, where the nest was in the normal location and the play area was in the 10 Hz feld.
Furthermore, comparisons were made with AC electric felds of 2–10 Hz, and it was founded that
there was no diference in AC electric felds from those where the felds were shielded. Focusing on
the physiological aspects of animals, Altmann investigated the efects of the static electric feld and
reported that static electric felds increased the metabolic rate and other parameters in various animals.
For example, oxygen consumption was clearly higher in fruit fies than in Faraday cage controls. When
looking at the activity and metabolic rate as indicators of the electrical state of honey bee hives made
of wood, PVC, and metal, the activity state was higher in the PVC hive, which is in a highly electrifed
state, than in the grounded metal hive (Altmann and Warnke, 1979). A clear increase in metabolic rate
was found in animals exposed to the static, 10 Hz electric felds. A rise in the oxygen consumption paral
lel to the increase in activity was also measured. Animals exposed to the 1.75 and 5 Hz AC feld showed
no changes related to the Faraday cage controls. Based on the oxygen consumption of goldfsh, Altman
showed that aquatic animals are not immune to the efects of electric felds. Goldfsh exposed to static
electric felds had higher oxygen consumption than Faraday shielded animals. Te same result was seen
for oxygen consumption in frogs. Tis increase was seen only when the animals were exposed to an
electric feld, and then the oxygen consumption immediately recovered to normal.
Te systematic experiments about the efects of static electric felds on living organisms were also
conducted at the University of Graz, Austria (Möse et al., 1969a, b, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977). Tey
frst, examined the efects of electric felds on smooth muscle sensitivity to stimulant drugs. Te ileum
of guinea pigs and the uterus of rats exposed for several days showed decreased excitability to histamine,
acetylcholine, bradoxine, and serotonin. Möse et al. reported on experiments with white mice exposed
to about 24 kV/m of static electric feld (1972). Based on control comparisons, statistically signifcant
increases were found: running activity increased 55%; food consumption increased 19%; drinking water
consumption increased 15%. Te body temperature rose by 0.3°. Furthermore, the efect of static electric
feld on immune response was investigated. Mice were implanted with sheep leukocytes and exposed
to electric felds of 0.04–24 kV/m. Immune responses were examined in terms of plaque formation, and
it was reported that the maximum plaque formation occurred at 7–15 kV/m. In summary, they noted
that the static electric feld increased the activity level, oxygen consumption, water and food consump
tion, and immunity of the mice. In addition, the shielding of the electric feld by the Faraday cage had
a negative efect on the growth and activity of the mice. Based on these fndings, they hypothesized
that the natural electric feld on earth has the efect of maintaining and promoting immunity in living