Re: What is the normal or average human emf emission?

The question is:

"What is the normal or average human emf emission? I cannot wear any regular batteried (1.5 volt) watches, because they all stop ticking when I wear them on my wrist or in a pocket. When I stop wearing them, after a while, they will start ticking again.

First of all, the term "EMF" could apply to many very different types of fields or radiation, ranging from static fields (like the Earth's magnetic field) to the power-frequency alternating current (AC) fields from power lines to the fields (or radiation) produced by radars or mobile phones. All of these are parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and can loosely be called "emf".

For a diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum see: Power Lines and Cancer FAQs

Wearing a watch in a very intense static magnetic field (for example, near the super conducting magnets of an magnetic resonance imaging machine) can permanently damage it by magnitizing the case. It is possible that a very strong AC magnetic field could do this also, but AC fields that strong are not common. A strong radiofrequency field (like inside a microwave oven) could also destroy a watch by heating it up.

But the human body does not produce these types and intensities of fields.

• The human body does not produce appreciable static or power-frequency magnetic fields.
• The human body does produce some electric fields, such as those detected by electrocardiograms (EKGs) and electroencephelograms (EEGs), but they are very weak.
• The human body also produces radio-frequency radiation (called black body radiation), but the intensity is not enough to interfere with an electrical device. See Cellular Phone Antennas and Human Health for details.

I think you have to look elsewhere for an explanation of the behavior of your watch.

John Moulder
Radiation Biologist
Medical College of Wisconsin