A simple analogy for explaining spectrum mix‑ups
The problem
Some commentators—including Dr. Jack Kruse, use the single word “light” for everything in the electromagnetic spectrum: visible sunlight, mid‑infrared heat, cell‑tower microwaves, airport X‑rays, you name it.
That is roughly correct physically (they’re all electromagnetic waves), but it is disastrously wrong biologically—and it misleads lay readers who need clear guidance.
Analogy 1 – Vitamins vs. Poisons
Both are “chemicals,” but that label tells you nothing about safety.
| Category label | Specific example | Biological role |
|---|---|---|
| “Chemical” | Vitamin D | Essential micronutrient—tiny daily dose keeps bones strong. |
| “Chemical” | Potassium cyanide | Lethal in milligram doses—blocks cytochrome‑c oxidase, halting respiration. |
Calling both “chemicals” and stopping there would let someone market cyanide as a “dietary supplement.”
Likewise, calling both sunshine and 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi simply “light” skips over frequency, photon energy, penetration depth, wave modulation, and established health data.
Analogy 2 – Sound You Hear vs. Infrasound You Can’t
Both are pressure waves, yet only one carries Mozart; the other can shake a bridge apart.
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Audible range (20 Hz–20 kHz) → music, conversation, bird calls.
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Infrasound (< 20 Hz) → turbine rumble that can cause nausea at high amplitude.
Both are “sound,” but dose, frequency, and coupling to human tissue dictate the physiological outcome. Exactly the same logic applies to:
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Visible blue‑green photons (≈ 470 THz) → set circadian clocks, improve mood.
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Pulsed 5G carrier at 3.5 GHz → opens voltage‑gated calcium channels, elevates oxidative stress in dozens of lab studies.
Key physical & biological distinctions that get lost
| Property | Day‑time visible light | Cell‑tower microwaves |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency band | 400–770 THz | 0.6–6 GHz (4–6 orders of magnitude lower) |
| Photon energy | 2–3 eV (drives photochemistry) | 10⁻⁵ eV (no single‑photon chemistry) |
| Tissue penetration | Stops in outer skin/retina | Penetrates centimetres into brain & organs |
| Primary target | Opsins → circadian entrainment | VGCCs → Ca²⁺ influx, ROS |
| Evolutionary exposure | 4 billion years | < 120 years |
Failing to name those differences is like advising patients to “drink liquid” without distinguishing between water and bleach.