A man living in Santa Fe, New Mexico claims that his neighbor’s wi-fi is making him sick. According to CNN, Arthur Firstenberg believes that since his neighbor moved in next door, he’s been experiencing a sickness and side effects so severe he’s had to go homeless entirely to escape the discomfort. Firstenberg cannot go to a hotel or motel, since they also use wi-fi, as well as a host of other illness-inducing electronics. Firstenberg claims that his sensitivities extend back decades.
So far, science has yet to determine if electromagnetic interference is a diagnosable condition. Research seems to indicate that it’s rather a psychiatric issue, and not a physical one. According to the article, a German study was unable to come up with any conclusive results:
The major study endpoint was the ability of the subjects to differentiate between real magnetic stimulation and a sham condition. There were no significant differences between groups in the thresholds, neither of detecting the real magnetic stimulus nor in motor response.
The comments on the CNN article, all 113 of them, run the gamut from supporters believing Firstenberg’s claims, while others cry skeptic claiming it’s all in his head. But how about you guys? Is this bunk or believable? I mean, I’ve got to say, I kind of feel bad for the guy next door with all the gadgets… that could well be any of us, what with our geek tendency to hoard electronics!