The Schumann Resonances: A Tuning Fork For Life

In 1952, the German scientist W.O.Schumann discovered a natural pulse resonating around our planet, beating at a frequency of 7.83 Hz (thereafter called the Schumann Resonance). Research has proved that electro-magnetic pollution can inhibit the human body’s ability to synchronise with the Earth’s natural magnetic pulse, thereby throtteling Melatonin, a major cancer suppressant and cell-rejuvenating neuro- hormone produced in the brain. The Schumann Resonances: A Tuning Fork For Life

Depending on your point of view, living beings either evolved in this natural electromagnetic environment (called The Schumann Resonances ) or were created with Divine Intelligence to live in harmony with it. One thing is certain: Since life began, the Earth has been surrounding all living things with this natural frequency pulsation. Many experts believe that the wide spectrum of artificial man-made EMF radiation masks the natural beneficial frequency of the Earth.

Electropollution may cause us to feel more stressed, fatigued and “out of balance.” Laboratory research has shown that exposing living cells to the Schumann Resonance had beneficial effects when exposed to ambient EMFs, allowing the cells to increase their immune protection, and decrease the absorption of depression-inducing chemicals.

Some researchers believe that by producing a 7.83 Hz signal we can counter the effects of the irritating man-made fields. By replicating the Earth’s natural rhythm, we may be providing ourselves (at least in our immediate vicinity) with a more healthy environment.

Research in Biophysics seems to suggest, that our biological system is “tuned into” the background frequency of our planet – the `Schumann Resonance’- a steady pulse of 7.8 Hz which beats around the planet within the earth/ionosphere cavity. It has been found that this is also the dominant brainwave rhythm of all mammals. Drowning out this natural frequency by overlaying it with manmade radiation noise, and in particular pulsed (digital) magnetic fields, can have devastating effects on our immune system, which is largely orchestrated by the release of certain neuro-transmitters and hormones within the human brain. By introducing interference signals, we create new previously unknown patterns, which thereby could set off new previously unknown auto-immune conditions.This could be likened to switches suddenly being turned on, which previously have been turned off and vice versa, leading to unforeseen consequences. Unless we accept the reality that the human brain is like a finely tuned electrical instrument, we will not be able to understand what is happening.

The Schumann Resonances are quasi-standing electromagnetic waves that exist in the Earth’s ‘electromagnetic’ cavity (the space between the surface of the Earth and the Ionosphere). Like waves on a string, they are not present all the time, but have to be ‘excited’ to be observed.

They are not caused by anything internal to the Earth, its crust or its core. They seem to be related to electrical activity in the atmosphere, particularly during times of intense lightning activity.

They occur at several frequencies, specifically 7.8 (strongest), 14, 20, 26, 33, 39 and 45 (weakest) Hertz, with a daily variation of about ± 0.5 Hertz. So long as the properties of Earth’s electromagnetic cavity remains about the same, these frequencies remain the same. Presumably there is some change due to the solar sunspot cycle as the Earth’s ionosphere changes in response to the 11-year cycle of solar activity. The resonant properties of this terrestrial cavity were first predicted by the German physicist W. O. Schumann between 1952 and 1957, and first detected in 1954.

The Urgent Need For Further Research Into The Schumann Resonance Effect

Although Schumann Resonance could easily be confirmed by measurements at the time of its discovery, it is no longer so obvious due to our atmosphere being filled with manmade radiation noise at different frequencies. This is almost drowning out the natural signals – signals that have been there through aeons of evolution. It is possible that these signals act like a natural tuning fork, not just for the biological oscillators of the brain, but for all processes of life.

With the advent of new wireless technology, in particular microwaves pulsed at frequencies close to Schumann Resonance as in mobile telephony, another threat is emerging. We may be creating an environment that is literally `out of tune’ with Nature itself. And it is at this point that there is an

urgent need for us to understand how everything alive responds to the most subtle changes in magnetic and electromagnetic fields surrounding us.

There is a great need for independent research into the bio-compatibility between natural and manmade signals. By linking together the potential importance of Schumann Resonance and the dangers posed by manmade pulsed frequencies, it will become apparent that unless we find a way to use bio-compatible signals to power new technology, we may expose all life to dangers previously not encountered. We may have to pay a high price for this shortsightedness. Serious attention must now be paid to the possible biological role of standing waves in the atmosphere, so that we do not overlook the importance of oscillations in nature that may be central to consciousness and life itself.

The late Dr Neil Cherry, a fierce opponent of the frequencies used in mobile telephony, has also focused on the importance of Schumann Resonance in his publications ‘Schumann Resonances, a plausible biophysical mechanism for the human health effects of Solar/Geomagnetic Activity’ (2002), and ‘Human intelligence: The brain, an electromagnetic system synchronised by the Schumann Resonance signal’ (2003) .

Professor R.Wever from the Max Planck Institute for Behavioural Physiology in Erling-Andechs, built an underground bunker which completely screened out magnetic fields. Student volunteers lived there for four weeks in this hermetically sealed environment. Professor Wever noted that the student’s circadian rhythms diverged and that they suffered emotional distress and migraine headaches. As they were young and healthy, no serious health conditions arose, which would not have been the case with older people or people with a compromised immune system. After only a brief exposure to 7.8 Hz (the very frequency which had been screened out), the volunteers health stabilized again.

The same complaints were reported by the first astronauts and cosmonauts, who, out in space, also were no longer exposed to the Schumann waves. Now modern spacecrafts are said to contain a device which simulates the Schumann waves.

A Tuning Fork For Life

Although the existence of the Schumann Resonance is an established scientific fact, there are very few scientists who are aware of the importance of this frequency as a tuning fork for Life. I propose that it is not merely a phenomenon caused by lightning in the atmosphere, but a very important electromagnetic standing wave, acting as background frequency and influencing biological oscillators within the mammalian brain.

At the time when Schumann published his research results in the journal `Technische Physik’, Dr Ankermueller , a physician, immediately made the connection between the Schumann resonance and the alpha rhythm of brainwaves. He found the thought of the earth having the same natural resonance as the brain very exciting and contacted Professor Schumann, who in turn asked a doctorate candidate to look into this phenomenon. This candidate was Herbert König who became Schumann’s successor at Munich University. König demonstrated a correlation between Schumann Resonances and brain rhythms. He compared human EEG recordings with natural electromagnetic fields of the environment (1979) and found that the main frequency produced by Schumann oscillations is very close to the frequency of alpha rhythms.

Dr König carried out further measurements of Schumann

resonance and eventually arrived at a frequency of exactly 7.83 Hz, which is even more interesting, as this frequency is one which applies to mammals. For instance, septal driving of the hippocampal rhythm in rats has been found to have a minimum threshold at 7.7 Hz (Gray, 1982).

This relationship has been explored by a number of investigators. For further information see Natural electromagnetic fields research on the h.e.s.e. project website.

If organisms do in fact respond to, and perhaps depend on, electromagnetic fields as weak as that produced by Schumann resonance, this is of major significance for the development of present and future wireless technologies. Funding for research projects investigating the Schumann Resonance Effect is now being sought and scientists who support this call for research are invited to contact me by e-mail .

References

Gray, J.A., 1982, The Neuropsychology of Anxiety: An Enquiry into the Functions of the Septo-Hippocampal System. Clarendon Press.
Cherry, N.J., 2002, Schumann Resonances, a plausible biophysical mechanism for the human health effects of Solar/Geomagnetic Activity, Natural Hazards 26(3), p 279-331

Cherry, N.J. 2003, Human intelligence: The brain, an electromagnetic system synchronised by the Schumann Resonance signal, Medical Hypotheses 60(60):843-4

Cherry,N. Cell phone radiation poses a serious biological and health risk
http://www.drscheiner-muenchen.de/Cherryeng.htm

König, H.L Bioinformation – Electrophysical Aspects. In:
Electromagnetic Bioinformation, Popp, F.A., Becker,G.,
König, H.L.Peschka,W.,(eds.) Urban und Schwarzenberg
p 25, 1979

Ludwig,W `Informative Medizin’
VGM Verlag fuer Ganzheitsmedizin, Essen, 1999

Schumann, W.O.Ueber die strahlungslosen Eigenschwingungen einer leitenden Kugel, die von einer Luftschicht und einer Ionosphaerenhuelle umgeben ist, Z.Naturforsch. 7a, 149, 1952

Schumann W.O.
König, H. Ueber die Beobachtung von Atmospherics bei geringsten Frequenzen, Naturwissenschaften, 41, 183, 1954