Nuclear EMP's, Geomagnetic Activity and Your Health

Preventing Panic

Recent reports and older research link geomagnetic activity from solar flares and earthquakes to stroke, heart attacks and chronic disease flare-ups. Now, the medical mainstream is countering with another study claiming, "Solar flares might protect against arrhythmias." Guess too many patients started panicking.

Creating Panic

Experts testifying before Congress on Thursday contradicted the medical mainstream's claims - warning that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) could leave "most Americans dead and the U.S. in another century." The report refers to a "Natural EMP from a geomagnetic superstorm, …and nuclear EMP attack," saying either could "kill 9-of-10 Americans through starvation, disease and societal collapse."

More:

"Airplanes would fall from the sky; most cars would be inoperable; electrical devices would fail. Water, sewer and electrical networks would fail simultaneously. Systems of banking, energy, transportation, food production and delivery, water, emergency services and even cyberspace would collapse."

Finding Truth

In fact, solar flares just might "protect against arrhythmias." But at the same time, ultra-low-frequency geomagnetic activity also seems to increase some peoples' heart rates, often dangerously, and other studies show clear links between ULF geomagnetic activity and extreme health effects, including deaths (like a 20% increase in strokes). The effects are systemic, but have yet to be broken down.

Should we worry about geomagnetic superstorms? Or just ultra-low-frequency effects from smaller solar flares? Should we panic about the potential for an EMP nuclear attack?

How 'bout we just chill and take it one step at a time. Starting with daily reports on geomagnetic activity along with the standard UV report - so people can take appropriate measures to protect themselves. ….Then we can consider emergency planning for the really big stuff.

Oh yeah, and maybe TPTB could balance the "move-along-nothing-to-worry-about damage control" with the "generate-panic-to-justify-funding strategies." The inherent contradictions are just stupid - especially considering they all track back to the same source.

Solar flares might protect against arrhythmias

A new analysis has found that solar flares seem to offer some measure of protection against the risk of arrhythmias and correlated with decreased implantable cardioverter-defibrillator activity.

Heart Patients Could Benefit From Solar Storms’ Energy; Scientists Find Surprising Link

The energy from solar storms may be naturally correcting irregular heart beats.

For those who suffer from arrhythmias, scientists have found a solar flare may be the natural phenomenon that could protect against their irregular heartbeats. The new analysis, which was presented on Friday at the Heart Rhythm Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, is only a preliminary analysis of the potentially beneficial relationship between arrhythmias and solar flares, and further research is needed to understand why there is a link in data.

EMP Attack On Power Grid Could Kill 9-In-10

Vulnerability: Expert testimony before Congress on Thursday warned that an electromagnetic pulse attack on our power grid and electronic infrastructure could leave most Americans dead and the U.S. in another century.

…."Natural EMP from a geomagnetic superstorm, like the 1859 Carrington Event or 1921 Railroad Storm, and nuclear EMP attack from terrorists or rogue states, as practiced by North Korea during the nuclear crisis of 2013, are both existential threats that could kill 9-of-10 Americans through starvation, disease and societal collapse," the Washington Free Beacon quoted Pry as saying.

….As the Heritage Foundation has reported, an EMP attack with a warhead detonated 25 to 300 miles above the U.S. mainland "would fundamentally change the world:"

"Airplanes would fall from the sky; most cars would be inoperable; electrical devices would fail. Water, sewer and electrical networks would fail simultaneously. Systems of banking, energy, transportation, food production and delivery, water, emergency services and even cyberspace would collapse."

On ATS:

Weird Health Problems Related to Geomagnetic Storms, Earthquakes? Watch Thread

Geomagnetic Activity Watch: Some Peoples' Lives May Depend On It

Solar Activity Watch 2014

Quake Watch 2014

a reply to: soficrow

In either (magnetic) instance, if you are in a plane and it drops from the sky, I don't think it is going to do your heart any good! Good information though...

More coverage.

Geomagnetic Storms Linked to Stroke Risk

While there are numerous risk factors for stroke, geomagnetic storms could be added to that list. A review in the journal Stroke analyzed data from 6 population-based stroke incident studies of 11,453 patients from 1981–2004 in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, France, and Sweden and found that geomagnetic storms were associated with a 19% increase in stroke risk occurrence. The effect was most evident in individuals

Trying again.

Combatting Sun ‘Farts’ and Other Unwanted Electromagnetic Pulses

“The sun kinda farts, if you will,” says Frankel. “Plasma stuff gets ejected from the sun and travels past Earth.”

The prospect of an epic, once-in-a-100-year sun fart that could cause catastrophic damage on earth was at the center of a congressional hearing Thursday, as a House Homeland Security subcommittee debated legislation that would protect critical infrastructure from the threat of unwanted electromagnetic pulses resulting either from a massive solar flare or a nuclear attack.

“A natural EMP [electromagnetic pulse] catastrophe or nuclear EMP attack could blackout the national electric grid for months or years and collapse all the other crucial infrastructure—communications, transportation, banking, and finance—necessary to sustain modern society,” said Dr. Peter Vincent Pry, the Executive Director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security. He added that EMP is the “least understood but gravest threat” to the country; a “clear and present danger.”

EXPERT TO CONGRESS: EMP 'CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER'

Event with catastrophic potential not matter of 'if' but 'when'

....“We have known the potentially devastating effects of sufficiently intense electromagnetic pulse on the electronic systems and its risk to our national security. ....

a reply to: soficrow

Recent reports and older research link geomagnetic activity from solar flares and earthquakes to stroke, heart attacks and chronic disease flare-ups. Now, the medical mainstream is countering with another study claiming, "Solar flares might protect against arrhythmias." Guess too many patients started panicking. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

No, the "medical establishment" is not issuing a report to contradict your belief. A statistical study has shown a correlation between decreased use of implanted heart defibrillators and solar activity. This study was done because there were fears that intense solar activity could disrupt them, making them unreliable. The correlation may be entirely due to chance.

As for the other concerns you raise, yes, an intense coronal mass discharge could do serious damage to the electrical and electronic infrastructure, but will not in itself be fatal to human beings.

Edit to add: I am not sure how they determine whether someone is "more likely" to have a stroke. 19% is not a very large number, and correlation is not causation.

a reply to: DJW001

Sorry to contradict your beliefs. The Mayo Clinic is quintessential "medical establishment" and the timing is telling - their report was released before publication or presentation, just after the latest studies linking geomagnetic activity to stroke.

Much evidence links geomagnetic activity to stroke, heart attacks and chronic disease flare-ups - including statistically relevant increases in fatalities. Here are a few references to ponder.

1997: Meta-analyzed heart rate variability, exposure to geomagnetic storms, and the risk of ischemic heart disease.

….exposure to geomagnetic disturbances increases cardiovascular disease risk.

2002: Graded response of heart rate variability, associated with an alteration of geomagnetic activity

It is becoming recognized that geomagnetic activity may influence biological processes, including the incidence of various human diseases. There is evidence that heart rate variability (HRV) may serve not only as an index of autonomic coordination of the circulation, but also as a powerful predictor of risk in apparently healthy subjects. ….This graded response of HRV to geomagnetic activity should encourage us to search for human magnetoreceptors and for a better understanding of putative mechanisms of magnetoreception.

Cardiac Arrhythmia and Geomagnetic Activity

….The presented data, a part of science named Clinical Cosmobiology, has shown that temporal links exist between cardiac arrhythmia, including life threatening events, SCD and level of cosmophysical activity. Atrial fibrillation,ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation and SCD are occurring in inverse relationship to the level of GMA. It is possible that the level of GMA is a factor preventing SCD, especially in patients with damaged heart muscle. The role of factors becoming more active in low GMA, like neutron activity, are an object of further studies.

2006: Magnetic Storms Affect Humans As Well As Telecommunications

It has long been established that magnetic storms not only affect the performance of equipment, upset radio communications, blackout radars, and disrupt radio navigation systems but also endanger living organisms. They change the blood flow, especially in capillaries, affect blood pressure, and boost adrenalin.

….The heart and cardio-vascular system have always been considered the main biological targets of geomagnetic activity. However, the damage inflicted by magnetic storms on human health has been found to be different. Experts from the Institute of Space Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Institute of Physics of the Earth (RAS), and the Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy have established that the biggest danger emanates from the micro variations of the geomagnetic field, which coincide with the heartbeat. They occur in about half of all magnetic storms, and are most typical for a prelude to a storm with insignificant changes in the geomagnetic field (mostly affecting high altitudes), and for the recovery phase, when the geomagnetic field is coming back to normal.

Medical statistics for Moscow show that 70% of all micro variations, caused by geomagnetic disturbances, are accompanied by an abnormally high incidence of heart attacks (a growth of about 13%), and blood-strokes (7.5% growth). The low and extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields destabilize the heartbeat, leading to a sudden death or infarction. Medical experts have finally explained why heart attacks take a heavy toll before a magnetic storm - because micro variations begin 24 hours before the storm.

…"We think that simply forecasting storms is counterproductive because people merely get scared as a result," said Dr. Breus. "But steady micro variations are different. We should concentrate on this in forecasting geomagnetic disturbances."

2006: Solar and geomagnetic activity, extremely low frequency magnetic and electric fields and human health at the Earth’s surface

….Three conclusions are that geomagnetic effects are more pronounced at higher magnetic latitudes, that extremely high as well as extremely low values of geomagnetic activity seem to have adverse health effects and that a subset of the population (10–15%) is predisposed to adverse health due to geomagnetic variations. The reported health effects of anthropogenic sources of electric and magnetic fields are also briefly discussed, as research performed in this area could help to explain the results from studies into natural electric and magnetic field interactions with the human body. …

Geomagnetic Storms Can Trigger Stroke

Geomagnetic storms are associated with increased risk of stroke and should be considered along with other established risk factors.

a reply to: soficrow

Thank you for the links, they are thought provoking. I'm still not sure if the correlations imply causality; if so, there must be a complex series of intermediary processes, since it is unlikely the cardiovascular system is sensitive to light.

Good thread Sofi. I have done a little research on this. I read about the uptick in strokes and heart attacks but hadn't heard of anything about the possibility that arrhythmia can be positively effected. I wonder why exactly that is? I bet it is very complicated.

There is research that verifies these events alter thinking, I suppose that could be related to this medical research too. Extra energy in the air can cause a lot of things to happen in the body, some good and some bad. It probably is not much different than raising or lowering the temperature, these things are all energy, just frequency varies. Our bodies can convert energy that is not in the spectrum defined by the thermometer. I think in the future this may be understood better. S&F

originally posted by: DJW001
a reply to: soficrow

Thank you for the links ....it is unlikely the cardiovascular system is sensitive to light.

You're welcome. ...Are you equating light with magnetism and electricity? But speaking of light and to coin a phrase, There are more things in heaven and earth DJW001 than are dreamt of in your philosophy. ; )

Human Disease Associated with Exposure to Light

Studies have linked working the night shift and getting exposed to light at night to several types of cancer (including breast and prostate cancer), diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

World Health Organization. Prolonged human exposure to solar UV radiation may result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system.

The results of several studies suggest that women who work at night -- factory workers, doctors, nurses, and police officers, for example -- have a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who work during the day. Other research suggests that women who live in areas with high levels of external light at night (street lights, for example) have a higher risk of breast cancer.

Researchers think that this increase in risk is linked to melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that plays a role in regulating the body's sleep cycle. Melatonin production peaks at night and is lower during the day when your eyes register light exposure. When women work at night or if they're exposed to external light at night, their melatonin levels tend to stay low.

HARVARD HEALTH. Light at night is bad for your health, and exposure to blue light emitted by electronics and energy-efficient lightbulbs may be especially so.

........Off topic but couldn't resist.

a reply to: BendingTheTruth

The real problems for human health occur with the low and ultra-low frequency micro-variations that occur before and after some geomagnetic storms.

a reply to: soficrow

I am already aware of some of the research into the impact of light on human health. Some of it is quite good (sleep disruption leading to depression, etc) some of it questionable (the night shift breast cancer study does not look properly controlled). The body has organs that are sensitive to light, including a shade of blue the cones in the eye cannot detect. I am leery of attempting to find direct causality between the solar wind and human maladies, however. There may be some vast ecological system that is affected by the solar wind which, in a roundabout way, causes health issues for humans, but a lot more data will need to be collected over a very large range of studies in order to piece it all together.

Really interesting thread! S&F !
Occasionally, I have a sense of angst - like today - for absolutely no reason. After reading your thread, I decided to check solar activity. Yup! There it was- 14, 15 & 16!
It never occurred to me that it might be caused by solar flares, so thanks for the info!

a reply to: DJW001

The existent data is clear, and dates back to the beginning of the Space Programs in the USA and Russia. Granted, the mandate to profit is best served if the data is questioned. As well, the medical establishment's long-standing commitment to keeping patients ignorant, purportedly to prevent panic and hypochondria, is also best served if the data is questioned.