The night sky has deep cultural significance in many Indigenous knowledge systems. Stories, traditions, and astronomical knowledge are often embedded in cultural practice and environmental understanding.¹²

Published: 2 June 2026 | EMFSA

‘Unacceptable to our people’: Diverse cultural beliefs, Indigenous rights, and the future of human activities on the Moon by John C. Barentine

Given the consensus nature of international norms and standards for acceptable actions undertaken in space, including on the Moon, anything short of free, prior and informed consent is inconsistent with the idea enshrined in the Outer Space Treaty that space is “the province of all mankind”.

PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2605.17706

Citation: 

arXiv:2605.17706 

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2605.17706

EMFSA May 2026 Newsletter Highlights Additional Topics

• AI and Technology

What does the Pope say about:

• AI and education?
• Age limits for digital devices?

• The Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB): An Active Research Target

Although millimeter waves (mm waves) used in 5G have very limited penetration into biological tissue, researchers continue to investigate potential BBB-related effects because biological systems may respond through indirect pathways. The evidence remains mixed and is not yet fully resolved.

• Experimental and clinical evidence on radiofrequency electromagnetic field effects on the blood–brain barrier: a scoping review (Open Access)

Citation:
Elif Taspinar Simsek et al. (2026) Physics in Medicine & Biology, 71(10), 10TR01.
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ae6e17
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6560/ae6e17

• How important are independent review processes and effective patient education, particularly in cases involving rare or poorly understood conditions?

References

https://practicalneurology.com/news/explanation-for-the-new-brunswick-mystery-illness-proposed-in-new-article/2474615

Bendahan N, Gautreau S, Medina Escobar A, et al. Clinical and Neuropathological Evaluations of the New Brunswick Neurological Syndrome of Unknown Cause. JAMA Neurol. 2025;82(8):788–796. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.1718 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2833783

• Ecological Effects of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) – Call for Papers

Submission status: Open
Submission deadline: 11 February 2027

Submissions are invited from researchers across behavioural ecology, chronobiology, urban ecology, conservation science, environmental physiology, and related disciplines. Contributions addressing methodological innovation, ecosystem-scale analyses, and policy-relevant approaches to understanding and mitigating the impacts of ALAN are particularly encouraged.

Read more: https://www.nature.com/collections/aggecijegc

• 5G millimeter-wave (mmWave) studies

• S. Adda et al., Maximum Exposure of 5G Base Stations in the mmWave Band: the Impact of Multi-User MIMO and CSI-RS Ports, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement. DOI: 10.1109/TIM.2026.3690868 (Open Access CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11527038
• S. Iakovidis et al., “A Novel Framework for Realistic 3D Skin Modeling and its Exposure to Millimeter Waves,” in IEEE Journal of Microwaves, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 641-652, May 2026, doi: 10.1109/JMW.2026.3684941 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11506041

• A comprehensive international framework addressing both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation

 https://www.emfsa.co.za/research-and-studies/radiation-monitoring-and-preparedness/

Link to EMFSA May 2026 Newsletter Highlights https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/emfsa-may-2026-newsletter

Further reading https://www.emfsa.co.za/news/5g-frequency-range-2-fr2/

Footnotes

² Harrison KD, Kelso N, Ramík DM, Ramík N, Plunkett GM, Neriam R, Nasauman W, Nasauman W, Balick MJ. “Sun brings all things”: Sun and moon lore as biocultural knowledge on Aneityum island, Vanuatu. PLoS One. 2025 Aug 1;20(8):e0327693. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0327693. PMID: 40749018; PMCID: PMC12316303. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12316303/

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Electromagnetic Safety and Exposure Guidelines

We look at two recent studies on electromagnetic exposure: one highlights potential risks for people with conductive implants, showing that local field enhancements may exceed current safety limits, and another examines exposure from military vehicular antennas, finding that while reference levels are sometimes exceeded, basic safety restrictions are generally met.

For a detailed discussion and analysis of these findings, see the EMFSA September 2025 Newsletter.

Summaries are based on Open Access research under Creative Commons licenses.

Digital Planetary Health and Generative AI

We highlight a recent perspective article by Deborah Lupton (Health Promotion International, 26 September 2025) exploring the impacts of generative AI on human and planetary health. The article emphasizes how AI infrastructure contributes to e-waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource use, while also reviewing proposals for AI to aid climate, biodiversity, and pollution action. Actions at organizational and community levels are suggested to reduce harm. Read the full article at https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daaf153 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).

Biomedical Engineer’s Pledge: Ethics in Action

Explore how the Biomedical Engineer’s Pledge promotes patient safety, sustainability, and global health equity. According to Ivorra et al. (2025), it sets a standard for ethical responsibility in the profession. Read more at https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/emfsa-september-2025-newsletter

Only Shine the Light Where and When It Is Needed

Artificial light at night (ALAN) harms human health, wildlife, and wastes energy. In this newsletter, we concur with the authors who warn against waiting decades—as with tobacco exposure—before taking meaningful action to protect health and the environment.

Bacterial Adaptation to RF-EMF

Bacteria exposed to Wi-Fi and mobile phone signals may develop antibiotic resistance and other defensive traits, potentially affecting treatment effectiveness. Understanding these changes is important for public health.

Link to the EMFSA September 2025 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/emfsa-september-2025-newsletter

Read more Bacterial Resistance and Cell Phones https://www.emfsa.co.za/news/bacterial-resistance-cell-phones/

EMFSA logo – spotlighting our September 2025 Newsletter

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The EMFSA January 2025 Newsletter is out! This month, we explore key topics on AI, 5G, radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and scientific innovation, including:

• The Global AI Race: Promise & Challenges

The global AI race is heating up, bringing both promise and challenges. Concerns over power supply and sustainability are becoming more pressing.

•OpenAI’s Role in the Stargate Project
Given OpenAI’s central role in the Stargate Project, artificial intelligence remains at the core of this initiative, shaping the future of AI technology.

• 5G and Millimeter-Wave Frequencies

Is Millimeter-Wave the primary frequency for 5G? We explore the topic.

• RFR Exposure and Genetic Changes

The first study showing genetic changes in rat tumors from lifetime radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure is featured in the 2024 NIEHS Papers of the Year.

• Inspiring Young Minds in Science

Read about an inspiring project led by children, exploring science, problem-solving, and creating solutions for their well-being.  We encourage young minds to engage in discovery and innovation.

• Fire Hazards in Electrical Infrastructure

Malfunctioning electrical infrastructure can pose serious fire hazards, especially in renewable energy systems, energy storage, and power transmission https://www.emfsa.co.za/safety/fire-hazards-malfunctioning-electrical-infrastructure/

Photo by Andrey Metelev on Unsplash

• Are Smartwatch Wristbands Safe?

Do the wristbands of smartwatches and other fitness wearables contain “forever chemicals“? What are the potential health risks ?

• The Hidden Impact of Wind Turbines on Bats

Did you know that wind turbine blades can be deadly to bats? As the turbines sweep through the air at over 300 km/h, they create low-pressure vortices. Simply passing through these vortices can cause fatal lung hemorrhages in bats.

• Mobile Phone Bans in Schools

Almost 40% of countries now have a law or policy banning the use of mobile phones in schools

• RF-EMF Exposure and Pregnancy Outcomes

Corrigendum:

Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) Exposure on Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes
This systematic review examines experimental studies in non-human mammals.

Corrigendum Findings

According to the authors, there is no significant change in the quantitative outputs of the effect estimates. The interpretation and conclusions of the review remain unchanged

• French Court Ruling on Smart Meters

A French appeals court has ruled that a homeowner can legally have his Linky smart electricity meter removed due to health concerns. This could set a legal precedent.

Read the full newsletter at EMFSA January 2025 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/ai-fire-hazards

Sign up for our free monthly newsletter https://www.emfsa.co.za/newsletter/

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The Forgotten Margins of AI Ethics

Abeba Birhane, Elayne Ruane, Thomas Laurent, Matthew S. Brown, Johnathan Flowers, Anthony Ventresque, Christopher L. Dancy

How has recent AI Ethics literature addressed topics such as fairness and justice in the context of continued social and structural power asymmetries? We trace both the historical roots and current landmark work that have been shaping the field and categorize these works under three broad umbrellas: (i) those grounded in Western canonical philosophy, (ii) mathematical and statistical methods, and (iii) those emerging from critical data/algorithm/information studies. We also survey the field and explore emerging trends by examining the rapidly growing body of literature that falls under the broad umbrella of AI Ethics. To that end, we read and annotated peer-reviewed papers published over the past four years in two premier conferences: FAccT and AIES. We organize the literature based on an annotation scheme we developed according to three main dimensions: whether the paper deals with concrete applications, use-cases, and/or people’s lived experience; to what extent it addresses harmed, threatened, or otherwise marginalized groups; and if so, whether it explicitly names such groups. We note that although the goals of the majority of FAccT and AIES papers were often commendable, their consideration of the negative impacts of AI on traditionally marginalized groups remained shallow. Taken together, our conceptual analysis and the data from annotated papers indicate that the field would benefit from an increased focus on ethical analysis grounded in concrete use-cases, people’s experiences, and applications as well as from approaches that are sensitive to structural and historical power asymmetries.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2205.04221

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An MIT Technology Review series, supported by the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program and the Pulitzer Center, investigating how AI is enriching a powerful few by dispossessing communities that have been dispossessed before.

INTRODUCTION

Artificial intelligence is creating a new world order

Over the last few years, an increasing number of scholars have argued that the impact of AI is repeating the patterns of colonial history. European colonialism, they say, was characterized by the violent capture of land, extraction of resources, and exploitation of people—for example, through slavery—for the economic enrichment of the conquering country. While it would diminish the depth of past traumas to say the AI industry is repeating this violence today, it is now using other, more insidious means to enrich the wealthy and powerful at the great expense of the poor.

Read more at:

https://www.technologyreview.com/supertopic/ai-colonialism-supertopic/

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European Parliament

Study 17-03-2022

This study describes two main dimensions of 5G technology, i.e. privacy and security. This research paper focuses on the analysis of cybersecurity risks and threats, privacy challenges and 5G technology opportunities at EU level and worldwide, as well as the relationship between cybersecurity risks and privacy issues. The methodological framework for this assessment of the impact of 5G technology is built on three pillars: (i) a document-based analysis; (ii) a parallel analysis with stakeholder involvement; and (iii) a selection of relevant case studies. The complexity of the 5G ecosystem, where new use cases are constantly emerging, also led the authors to assess the prospects of using new 5G-enabled technologies, such as the internet-of-things, robotics and AI. Moreover, policy options are defined and put forward for consideration by the European Parliament’s Committees on Legal Affairs, Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, as well as by other EU institutions and the Member States.

PDFs available at https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2022)697205

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Opinion March 2022 •  Paul W. Taylor

As technologists continue to introduce bleeding-edge ideas like the metaverse that could change how we work, live and play online, is government prepared to regulate those new spaces?

Historian Robert Hughes coined the elegant phrase “the shock of the new” to describe the influence of technology on imagination. Hughes’ original formulation was around the artist, but the shock extends to policymakers, technologists and practitioners of all sorts both in and out of government. The shocks can and do emanate from catalysts as diverse as mobility and artificial intelligence to VR, AR and other building blocks of the metaverse to climate change and nuclear energy.

Nuclear power illustrates just how deep and pervasive the shock can be. J. Robert Oppenheimer, widely regarded as the father of the atomic bomb, a technology that forever changed world affairs, is reported to have said, “The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true.” After witnessing the detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945, he responded by uttering a bit of Hindu scripture: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” His words reflect a quest for redemption after the U.S. government used his invention to end World War II, killing 105,000 Japanese citizens in the process and injuring 94,000 more. His ethical concerns came to a head in an exchange with then-President Truman, who called Oppenheimer a “cry-baby scientist.”

Some 77 years later, we still do not have sufficient ethics for the nuclear age. 

Read more at: https://www.govtech.com/opinion/do-we-have-the-ethical-guardrails-for-whats-next-in-tech

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The dominant vision of artificial intelligence imagines a future of large-scale autonomous systems outperforming
humans in an increasing range of fields. This “actually existing AI” vision misconstrues intelligence as autonomous
rather than social and relational. It is both unproductive and dangerous, optimizing for artificial metrics of human
replication rather than for systemic augmentation, and tending to concentrate power, resources, and decision-making
in an engineering elite. Alternative visions based on participating in and augmenting human creativity and cooperation
have a long history and underlie many celebrated digital technologies such as personal computers and the internet.
Researchers and funders should redirect focus from centralized autonomous general intelligence to a plurality of
established and emerging approaches that extend cooperative and augmentative traditions as seen in successes such
as Taiwan’s digital democracy project and collective intelligence platforms like Wikipedia. We conclude with a concrete
set of recommendations and a survey of alternative traditions.

[W]e find everywhere men of mechanical genius, of great general acuteness, and discriminative understanding,
who make no scruple in pronouncing the Automaton—a pure machine, unconnected with human agency in its
movements—and consequently, beyond all comparison, the most astonishing of the inventions of mankind.
—Edgar Allen Poe, Maelzel’s Chess Player (1836)

https://ethics.harvard.edu/how-ai-fails-us

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To combat discrimination and ensure the right to privacy, MEPs demand strong safeguards when artificial intelligence tools are used in law enforcement.

In a resolution adopted by 377 in favour, 248 against and 62 abstentions, MEPs point to the risk of algorithmic bias in AI applications and emphasise that human supervision and strong legal powers are needed to prevent discrimination by AI, especially in a law enforcement or border-crossing context. Human operators must always make the final decisions and subjects monitored by AI-powered systems must have access to remedy, say MEPs.

Excerpt:

Quote

Rapporteur Petar Vitanov (S&D, BG) said: “Fundamental rights are unconditional. For the first time ever, we are calling for a moratorium on the deployment of facial recognition systems for law enforcement purposes, as the technology has proven to be ineffective and often leads to discriminatory results. We are clearly opposed to predictive policing based on the use of AI as well as any processing of biometric data that leads to mass surveillance. This is a huge win for all European citizens.”

Read the complete article at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210930IPR13925/use-of-artificial-intelligence-by-the-police-meps-oppose-mass-surveillance

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15 September 2021
Human Rights

States should place moratoriums on the sale and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems until adequate safeguards are put in place, UN human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday. 

Urgent action is needed as it can take time to assess and address the serious risks this technology poses to human rights, warned the High Commissioner: “The higher the risk for human rights, the stricter the legal requirements for the use of AI technology should be”. 

Ms. Bachelet also called for AI applications that cannot be used in compliance with international human rights law, to be banned. “Artificial intelligence can be a force for good, helping societies overcome some of the great challenges of our times. But AI technologies can have negative, even catastrophic, effects if they are used without sufficient regard to how they affect people’s human rights”. 

Read more at https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1099972

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