Scientists have known for nearly two centuries how to transmit electricity without wires, and the phenomenon has been demonstrated several times before. But it wasn't until the rise of personal electronic devices that the demand for wireless power materialized. In the past few years, at least three companies have debuted prototypes of wireless power devices, though their distance range is relatively limited [see "Power Brokers," next page]. Then last year, a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology set the stage for wireless power that works from across a room.
The effect of radiation on humans is still not completely understood. Take the radiation effects on humans that do not show cancer for 12 - 15 years. Magnetism can induce radiation. Therefore, it is possible that much of the magnetism that we feel is harmless, may be found to cause radiation in our cells that is absorbed by our cells before it is even detected, and then causes a new heretofore unknown cancer or genetic defect. I want the witricity to be safe, but it may not be possible to ascertain its safety in our lifetime. Mankind is usually found to be killing his or herself for a very long time before realization of this fact.
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