Review of terahertz radiation, the 6G band, says its biological effects are contested and safety limits unsettled

October 26, 2026 (EMFS)

Oct 21, 2026 (original)

Source: Research

Source category: Research

Terahertz radiation, the 0.1 to 100 THz band being developed for sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks, is the subject of a review in the AAAS journal Research, published 21 October 2026. The authors survey how terahertz waves interact with proteins, DNA, ion channels and cell membranes, and report that experiments so far conflict on whether the radiation, despite its low photon energy, can harm biological systems. That disagreement, they write, is what prevents the field from setting unified safety standards. Their central methodological point is that a safe verdict cannot rest on how much a sample heats up: biological risk cannot be judged from temperature rise alone.

Quotes

"With the rapid expansion of terahertz (THz) technologies across communications, imaging, sensing, and biomedicine, defining their biological effects, safety boundaries, and controlled intervention has become a critical scientific priority for their responsible deployment."

— Li et al.

"Moreover, conflicting experimental results have sparked debate about whether THz radiation, despite its low photon energy, can adversely affect biological systems, further complicating the establishment of unified safety standards and hindering clinical translation"

— Li et al.

"Here, we systematically review recent advances in THz interactions with key biological targets, including proteins, nucleic acids, ion channels, and biological membranes, and examine how local molecular perturbations translate into higher-level phenotypes."

— Li et al.

"Biological risk therefore cannot be inferred from macroscopic temperature rise alone"

— Li et al.

Location

📍 China

Source

Terahertz Modulation of Biomolecular Dynamics: Physical Mechanisms, Biological Implications, and Future Challenges pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

📄 Underlying Research

Terahertz Modulation of Biomolecular Dynamics: Physical Mechanisms, Biological Implications, and Future Challenges

Li X, Chen Z, Ru K, Yang W, Wang X, Huang L, Ping B, Pi M, Zhu C, Ren T, Dai J, Tian Y, Qian A (2026) Research Journal Level 1ⓘ

🔗 DOI 📚 PubMed 📰 Full Article

Review of terahertz radiation, the 6G band, says its biological effects are contested and safety limits unsettled

Source

📄 Underlying Research

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