touching grass may not be good for you if there is radio frequency current around. i've been starting to suspect i haven't been helping myself by doing this so much.
leaky current in corroded old wiring going through damp concrete walls, and the noise induction many things can add higher frequency components to the local electrical network, and they seep into the whole circuit.
the explanation Claude gave pretty much suggests this also, although it falsely claims that low power EMF from wifi and such are no threat. lol. yeah, but especially, what about if you are earthed?
i think that maybe Jack Kruse is partially wrong in what he says about earthing. here's what Claude says:
is there conditions under which EMF energy is dangerous to be exposed to while being earthed (other than electrocution)?
Examined RF exposure risks and grounding's role in current pathways.18s
The user is asking about whether there are conditions where electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure could be dangerous when a person is electrically grounded/earthed, aside from the obvious risk of electrocution (completing a circuit with a live source).
This is a somewhat technical question that touches on physics and health. Let me think about what I know:
Grounding/earthing in the context the user seems to be asking about could mean:
Electrical grounding (being connected to earth ground)
The "earthing" wellness practice (walking barefoot, using grounding mats, etc.)
EMF exposure concerns typically involve:
Ionizing radiation (X-rays, gamma rays) - definitely dangerous at sufficient doses
Non-ionizing radiation (radio waves, microwaves, power line frequencies) - the health effects are debated for low-level chronic exposure
When grounded, could EMF be more dangerous?
For RF/microwave: Being grounded could potentially affect how currents flow through the body. In some RF exposure scenarios, grounding can actually increase current flow through the body because you become part of a path to ground.
Induced currents: In strong magnetic fields (like near power lines or industrial equipment), currents can be induced in the body. If grounded, this could potentially create a more complete circuit.
Lightning: Being grounded outdoors during a thunderstorm increases risk, but that's essentially electrocution.
RF burns and grounding: In RF environments (like near broadcast antennas), grounding can actually be dangerous because it creates a path for RF currents to flow through the body to ground, potentially causing RF burns.
MRI safety: In MRI machines (strong magnetic fields + RF), having conductive paths (like loops formed by the body or wires) can cause localized heating. Grounding electrodes during MRI can be dangerous.
Let me think about whether I should search for this. The user seems to be asking a legitimate physics/safety question. I have reasonable knowledge about this topic, but it's somewhat specialized.
I could search to verify or provide more detail.
Actually, I think I can answer this reasonably well from my knowledge. The key scenarios where grounding + EMF could be problematic involve specific electromagnetic environments that create unique current pathways through the body. Particularly in radio frequency settings, near powerful magnetic fields, or with industrial equipment, being grounded can unexpectedly increase electrical current risks. The physics suggests that grounding isn't always protective and can sometimes amplify potential electromagnetic hazards.
I aim to explore the nuanced technical aspects without sensationalizing potential dangers or dismissing legitimate electromagnetic interaction concerns.
Yes, there are a few scenarios where being grounded can actually increase risk from EMF exposure:
RF (radio frequency) environments: Near broadcast antennas, industrial RF heaters, or other high-power RF sources, being grounded can be worse than being isolated. Your body becomes a path for RF currents to flow to ground, which can cause RF burns—localized tissue heating at the points of contact. Workers in RF environments are sometimes trained to avoid grounding themselves for this reason.
Induced currents from strong magnetic fields: Near high-voltage power lines, substations, or industrial equipment with strong alternating magnetic fields, currents can be induced in your body. If you're grounded, this creates a more complete circuit for those currents to flow through. The induced currents are usually too small to be dangerous in everyday scenarios, but in occupational settings with very strong fields, grounding can increase exposure.
Contact currents: In areas with elevated ambient fields, touching a large grounded metal object (fence, vehicle) while you yourself are also grounded can result in current flowing through you, even without any fault condition. This is a known issue near high-voltage transmission lines.
MRI environments: Grounding electrodes or conductive loops during MRI scans can cause serious localized heating and burns due to the combination of strong static magnetic fields and pulsed RF.
For everyday environmental EMF levels (wifi, cell towers, household wiring), grounding doesn't meaningfully change your exposure in any dangerous way—the field strengths are far too low for these effects to matter.
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and further:
what countermeasures can one take short of filtering the power, in such a case?
Catalogued practical mitigation strategies beyond electrical filtering solutions.
Several practical approaches:
Distance: The near-field from wiring drops off rapidly. Positioning beds and workstations away from walls with heavy wiring runs (especially near breaker panels, or walls shared with kitchens/laundry) meaningfully reduces exposure. Even 1-2 meters makes a substantial difference.
Circuit elimination: Demand switches (sometimes called "kill switches") can cut power to specific circuits when not in use—particularly useful for bedroom circuits at night. You retain one live circuit for essentials and kill the rest. This eliminates both the 50/60Hz fields and any conducted HF noise on those runs.
Battery isolation: For devices you use close to your body (laptops, phones charging on nightstands), running from battery rather than mains removes the conductive path for HF noise to couple through the device to you.
Source remediation: This is the real answer. Thermal imaging can identify hot spots from arcing or high-resistance connections. An electrician with an EMI meter or even an AM radio can locate noise sources. Fixing corroded connections, replacing degraded wiring, and ensuring proper bonding eliminates the problem rather than working around it.
Grounding hygiene: Ensuring your electrical system has clean, low-impedance grounding with no ground loops reduces circulating currents. Paradoxically, poor grounding often makes HF noise problems worse because return currents take multiple paths.
Selective disconnection while sleeping: Simply switching off breakers for non-essential circuits at night is free and immediately effective for the highest-exposure period.
The source remediation path is worth prioritizing—arcing connections tend to get worse, not better.
