The Effect of Cellular Telephone Electromagnetic

Radiation on the Nervous System of Lumbricus

terrestris
Lumbricus terrestris
in worm farm
acclimating to its
environment.

Lily Shearer
Niles North High School
Worm in
control group
being tested
with SpikerBox

Backyard Brains SpikerBox that

was used for testing

Data
30 minutes of
exposure per day

Control

Difference
of Time
(seconds)

Worm

Average

Space
between
Electrodes
(cm)

Conduction
Velocity
(cm/s)

Difference of
Time(seconds)

Worm

45 minutes of
exposure per day

Space
between Conduction
Electrode Velocity
s(cm)
(cm/s)

Difference
of Time
(seconds)

Worm

Space
between
Electrodes
(cm)

Conduction
Velocity
(cm/s)

0.000011

2 181,818.18

0.00

1.75

50,000.00

0.00045

2.00

4,444.44

0.0000092

2.25 244,565.21

0.00

2.00

35,087.72

0.00056

1.75

3125

0.000009

1.5 166,666.67

0.00

2.25 107,142.85

0.00091

1.50

1648.35

0.0000099

1.75 176,767.68

0.00

1.50

55,555.56

0.00013

2.00

15,384.62

0.000008

1.75 218,750.00

0.00

2.25

70,312.50

0.00009

2.00

22,222.22

0.0000096

2 208,333.33

0.00

2.00

37,735.85

0.00082

1.50

1,829.27

0.0000089

2 224,719.10

0.00

2.00

80,000.00

0.00065

1.75

2,692.31

0.000008

1.5 187,500.00

0.00

1.75

83,333.33

0.000095

2.25

23,684.21

0.000013

2.25 173,076.92

0.00

2.00

95,238.10

0.00034

2.00

5,882.35

10

0.000021

2.5 119,047.62

10

0.00

1.50

75,000.00

10

0.0003

2.00

6,666.67

11

0.000014

2 142,857.14

11

0.00

2.25

60,810.81

11

0.00078

1.75

2243.59

12

0.0000075

1.75 233,333.33

12

1.5

28,301.89

12

0.00087

2.25

2587.21

189,786.27

Average

0.000053

64,876.55

Average

7,700.85

Data Analysis
From the above charts, it is evident that there is a significant trend of the conduction velocity that is related to increased cell phone
exposure. By looking simply at the averages, you can clearly see that the worms exposed to cell phone radiation had a lower conduction
velocity. However, when you look more specifically at the results, you can see how there was more of a fluctuation of results in the 30
minute exposure than the other tests. This can be contributed to a variety of things, and most likely would be experimental error.
However, you can also attribute these fluctuations as a result of the radiation, and can lead to the conclusion that cell phone radiation
has varying results on different worms. You can also see this fluctuation on the charts, and it is evident from these charts that worms
not exposed to radiation have a more stable trend, which supports my previous statement. The overall average for the control was
189,786.27 cm/s, the average for worms exposed to 30 minutes of radiation was 64,876.55 cm/s, and the average for 45 minutes
of radiation was 7,700.85 cm/s. You can tell that the additional 15 minutes of radiation a day did have an effect, and therefore you
can assume that this nerve damage is significantly different for different amounts of time, but that the difference between the tests
with 30 minutes and 45 minutes were less significant than the overall tests of whether they were exposed to radiation.

Experimental Error
There were many possibilities for experimental error in this experiment. One major example of experimental error is the fact that
by working with living organisms, each one is not identical and therefore has differences in their body structure and nervous
system. I attempted to rule out this error by using as many worms as possible, but more worms and more data for my next
attempt would be a good way to try and limit experimental error. Another possibility for experimental error is human error; even
though exact measurements were attempted for each step, there is always the possibility that something was not measured
correctly or was inserted incorrectly. One issue with the SpikerBox was that there was some static for a few of the tests that
slightly altered my data. To combat this, next time I will look at ways to reduce static by contacting Backyard brains about ways
to troubleshoot the SpikerBox. There is also the possibility of other technical issues with Audacity that caused fluctuations in
data. I attempted to make each test as similar as possible and attempted to make as precise measurements as possible to try
and prevent this experimental error. To really combat the possibility of error, more tests should always be completed.