Flying blind: the making of EMF policy
Article Abstract:
A recent out-of-court settlement by the Boeing Company to compensate a worker who claimed his cancer was the result of job-related exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) may be but the first of many personal injury cases resulting from EMF exposure. No firm epidemiological or biological proof exists that the fields are dangerous; these issues were reviewed in the September 7 and September 21 issues of Science magazine. But EMFs are already costing corporations money in lawsuits and time to combat citizens' groups that want to prevent construction of power lines and substations. Policy-makers must mediate between a concerned public and industry concerning a subject on which they have inconclusive data. Problems in deciding what to regulate are discussed. Different regulatory approaches have been taken by governments. These include the ''similarity-based'' approach, which advocates keeping standards for construction and location of wires at current levels. This is opposed by those who maintain that setting such arbitrary limits now will simply encourage the setting of additional arbitrary limits later. ''Prudent avoidance'' should be practiced, according to Granger Morgan, head of the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. This involves a common-sense approach, taking relatively easy steps to reduce obvious risks. A more fundamental solution, of course, requires an understanding of how EMFs really affect people. The major funding sources for research on EMFs are the Electric Power Research Institute and the Department of Energy, but scientists sense a pro-energy bias. The political aspects of funding for this research are briefly outlined. Many industries, including the utility industry and IBM, have already begun to develop products that produce lower EMFs. These steps, taken in advance of conclusive proof of danger, may presage an era where companies simply decide to put themselves at risk for higher costs. If EMFs are, however, carcinogenic, this risk is preferable to the risk of cancer. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: Science
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0036-8075
Year: 1990
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Coral chemistry leads to human bone repair
Article Abstract:
Materials scientist Brent Constantz and colleagues at Norian Corp have created a fast-hardening paste that has the potential to replace such bone fracture therapeutics as pins, screws, and casts. The paste is based on chemical processes inherent in coral formation.
Publication Name: Science
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0036-8075
Year: 1995
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Off-the-shelf chips conquer the heights of computing
Article Abstract:
The symmetric multiprocessor parallel supercomputer is quickly replacing vector and massively parallel supercomputers. Based on off-the-shelf microprocessors linked together, the supercomputer it is just as powerful as its predecessors but much less expensive.
Publication Name: Science
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0036-8075
Year: 1995
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