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9th Grade Science Experiment: Garden Cress Won't Germinate Near Routers

Posted by Soulskill on from the are-the-routers-in-the-freezer dept.

New submitter SessionExpired writes "Five 9th graders from Denmark have shown that garden cress won't germinate when placed near a router (Google Translation of Danish original). Article text is in Danish, but the pictures illustrate their results. The exact mechanism is still unknown (Danish original), but experts have shown interest in reproducing the experiment."

10 of 327 comments (clear)

  1. No reproduction by quintus_horatius · · Score: 5, Funny

    experts have shown interest in reproducing the experiment

    Or not reproducing, as the case may be.

    1. Re:No reproduction by ankhank · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Outgassing from the plastic and electronics, I'll bet.
      Nice new routers, I'll bet. Loaded with stuff that's volatile.

      Did they try a Faraday Cage to rule out the radio waves?

    2. Re:No reproduction by mikael · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There are so many combinations:

      Does the router need to be switched on?
      What if there is just a transformer and cable, but not a router?
      Does the router need wi-fi enabled? In the 2.5GHz band? In the 5Ghz band?
      Does the router need to be in line-of-sight, or can it be hermetically sealed in a container?

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    3. Re:No reproduction by Khyber · · Score: 5, Interesting

      "Or just as likely, they just faked the data. "

      As someone that has performed similar radiation experiments as part of my research into zero-light horticulture, faking this is very doubtful, as I've encountered the same issues. Germination rates in the area of our facility with wireless access are roughly half of that on the other side of the shed that is totally free of radiation in that frequency range thanks to the natural faraday cage (the entire structure is grounded, metal walls and supports, etc.) that the facility provides. You can't even use your cell phone two feet inside the door.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  2. Neither will... by dlingman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your typical slashdotter probably sits closer to their router than the plants. And is about as likely to germinate.

  3. Need a control. by RightSaidFred99 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They should have used a control, and put cress near a lamp bulb that gives off the same amount of heat.

    Simplest explanation is the additional heat which was nearby but not enough to alter room temperature affected them.

  4. Not controlled for other factors by vivaoporto · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The experiment was setup to validate a foregone conclusion. The (probable, as I can't read the Danish complete report) untested control factor was the impact the different rooms had in the absence of the routers. Retesting both samples without the presence of the routers could fix this issue.

    Anyway, it is good science (it is testable and verifiable) but bad journalism.

    Unless it can be reproduced or its mechanism explained, it is nothing but fuel to add to the "communication radiation exposure is bad" hysteria.

  5. near a WIRELESS router by Gothmolly · · Score: 5, Informative

    Thanks, Editor-dot, for not reviewing TFS. This was an experiment to test EM radition, its nothing to do with 'routers'. Believe it or not, there are things which are 'routers' that are not supplied by your ISP when you sign up for home broadband.

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    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
  6. Doubtful on the outgassing... by denzacar · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...as it grows fine on keyboards.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cress_keyboard-3_sprouting_other_side.jpg

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  7. A comment from a native dane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    They're using 2.4GHz wifi routers. 3G and LTE was not chosen because of data cost.
    The rooms are all locked, so only the teacher and the 5 pupils have access.
    They've done the tests twice with the same results.
    They've controlled temperature, water amount, sun radiation from windows and more factors, to control bias.

    The danish newspaper Ingeniøren (The Engineer) has the teacher Kim Horsevad explain in detail in the comments on their article on the subject: http://ing.dk/artikel/folkeskoleelever-vaekker-forsker-opsigt-mobilstraaling-forhindrer-karse-i-spire-158867#comment-529110

    His comment is REALLY long, so some other dane will have to translate if Google Translate doesn't cut it ;)