DNA is a fractal antenna in electromagnetic fields (2011)

One reason this is interesting is because of the possible role of charge transfer in the DNA repair mechanism. See the work of Jacqueline Barton&#x27;s group at Caltech [1] for more information.<p>Here was how it was described when she was awarded the National Medal of Science: &quot;For discovery of a new property of the DNA helix, long-range electron transfer, and for showing that electron transfer depends upon stacking of the base pairs and DNA dynamics. Her experiments reveal a strategy for how DNA repair proteins locate DNA lesions and demonstrate a biological role for DNA-mediated charge transfer&quot;.<p>If it turns out that the cell does locate damage by looking for sections of DNA that do not conduct when they should, then having the DNA acting as an antenna could interfere with that. The induced currents in the separate strands on both sides of a break could make it look like there is no break.<p>I&#x27;d guess that this would not be as bad as getting hit with ionizing radiation, which can actually break bonds. Non-ionizing radiation inducing currents would not break bonds--it would just interfere with repairing bonds that were broken by some other mechanism.<p>Still not something I want to encourage, so I&#x27;m going to avoid dumping large amounts of non-ionizing radiation into my body just to be on the safe side [2].<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.its.caltech.edu&#x2F;~jkbgrp&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.its.caltech.edu&#x2F;~jkbgrp&#x2F;</a><p>[2] ...says the man who just ordered a handheld ham radio transceiver that puts out 5 watts at 144&#x2F;220&#x2F;440 MHz, which is several times what a cell phone puts out.

This is an interesting counterpoint to an article&#x2F;thread from earlier today:<p>&quot;Why Cell Phones Can’t Cause Cancer, But Bananas Can&quot;<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;mitchkirby.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;04&#x2F;22&#x2F;why-cell-phones-cant-cause-cancer-but-bananas-can&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;mitchkirby.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;04&#x2F;22&#x2F;why-cell-phones-cant-cause-...</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=9446505" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=9446505</a>

In other news, fractal antennas don&#x27;t work any better than any other antennas when immersed in a bag of salt water, which is what a cell is.

The title could perhaps mislead people into believing that DNA is some kind of communication device for extraterrestrial beings rather than the intention of this article which is to point out that EM radiation like that from your cellphone in your pocket can cause cancer.

See also the related document the study&#x27;s author submitted to the FCC:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;apps.fcc.gov&#x2F;ecfs&#x2F;document&#x2F;view?id=7520940937" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;apps.fcc.gov&#x2F;ecfs&#x2F;document&#x2F;view?id=7520940937</a>

This is pretty interesting, because I have radiofrequency ablation treatments every 6-12 months, where they stick wires near the nerve roots in my neck and run RF through the wire until it heats to 100C, thereby killing the nerves that transmit pain to my spinal chord.<p>Wonder what an internal radiosource that powerful does to the rest of me?<p>There&#x27;s another, less invasive version called pulsed radiofrequency ablation that doesn&#x27;t cook the nerves - it uses the RF signal to confuse&#x2F;fuck up the nerves without killing them. Doesn&#x27;t work as well, but less risk. I wonder if DNA&#x2F;radio is part of how pulsed RF works?

From an evolutionary perspective, considering that environmental radiation can harm organisms, perhaps DNA evolves to be highly vulnerable to such radiation so that reproduction will fail in high radiation environments where the radiation would cause other damage later.<p>So maybe it&#x27;s more like a fuse than an antenna.

Here is an open review which is also more thorough: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;link.springer.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;10.1007%2Fs10762-011-9794-5" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;link.springer.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;10.1007%2Fs10762-011-9794-5</a>

Perhaps we should use spread spectrum techniques instead of a single prominent carrier frequency. That way, the signal will look mostly like noise and will not trigger any biological mechanisms that resonate at certain frequencies.

If it acts as a (relatively good) antenna to emf, then won&#x27;t emf cause a mechanical stress on the strand?

In what cases does modern technology produce stronger, as opposed to more ordered, EMF than naturally occurs?

How is DNA self-similar?

ESP!