Tuesday 2 December 2014

The Wind - more dangerous than you think?

         Those of us who are scientists with open minds have grown tired of listening to the LWL crying that the science of climate change/global warming is established beyond doubt, that the issue is closed.  They thereby demolish any claim they may have had to understand the fundamental foundation block of science, that a theory  is only a theory until  it is proven.  I believe that the science is far from  proven and that we must continue our investigation without hysteria.  We also have to be vigilant of ill-effects from alternate power sources.
         There are concerns from many living in the vicinity of wind turbines, that they pose a risk to their heath.  There are reports of adverse health effects from around the world.  Wind turbines produce a noise that can lead to the 'wind turbine syndrome'.  A Statistics Canada survey revealed a number of self -reported effects including tinnitus, migraines, dizziness, blood pressure, stress and sleep disturbances.  There are also sound waves below the audible level (20Hz) known as infrasound that we know little about.  For the human ear to perceive infrasound  the sound pressure must be sufficiently high. 
         There is considerable debate over whether the symptoms described in the wind turbine syndrome represents an actual disease or a hypochondriacal state.  
          In an experiment performed in the UK in 2003, an experimental music concert entitled Infrasonic,  contained musical pieces  laced with 17 Hz undertones, were played for a blinded audience.  The participants were not informed of the pieces which contained the inaudible tones.  The presence of the tones resulted in 22% of respondents reporting anxiety, uneasiness, extreme sorrow, nervous feelings of revulsion or fear, chills down the spine and feelings of pressure in the chest.  Prof. Richard Wiseman said, "These results suggest that low frequency sound can cause people to have unusual experiences even though they cannot consciously detect infrasound."
           What do you think ?   Real health risk or hypochondriasis?   What should we be doing  about this now?

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