In the nineties many people had a cactus next to their computer. It wasn’t for decoration, it was to protect yourself from radiation
A few days ago we were talking about a myth circulating that says that if you put a coin on top of the router improves WiFi. It’s as stupid as a temple, but it’s the typical easy-to-do trick that ends up going viral. In the nineties we did not have social networks and the word viral had a completely different meaning, but myths of dubious credibility were also spread, such as the one that said you had to have a cactus next to your computer to absorb its radiation. The origin of the myth. It is believed to come from from an observation made at the geobiology institute in Chardonne, Switzerland, in 1987. It was not a formal experiment, but rather the perception of the institute’s employees who claimed that placing a cactus next to the monitor reduced their symptoms of fatigue and headache after spending many hours working. To that anecdote was added, without links or details, the reference to “a NASA study.” There is no evidence to support any of this, but the use of institutional names was enough for the myth to spread with a semblance of scientific rigor that it never had. Fear of radiation. The word radiation acquired a very negative tone especially after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. However, not all types of radiation are harmful. “Bad” radiation is ionizing radiation, such as x-rays or gamma rays, but in the case of a computer, it is low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, non-ionizing and incapable of altering our cells. This and other myths (such as related to 5G) arise from the false belief of associating any type of radiation with something dangerous and harmful. Why a cactus. The fact that a cactus is recommended and not any other plant has to do with the fact that they have a high water content and of course, like water absorbs radiation since it is assumed that the cactus will also do it. It can absorb radiation, yes, but no more than any object: by that rule of three, a watermelon or a jug of water next to the computer would achieve an even greater effect. In addition to the fact that the electromagnetic field that a computer can emit is not harmful, it goes out in all directions, so to protect us from it, we would have to surround the entire machine with cacti, not place one next to it and that’s it. Efficacy not found. In 2018, a group of Turkish scientists set out to check if changes occurred in the electromagnetic field by placing a cactus nearby of the screen. They were made with LCD monitors and old tube monitors, as well as different varieties of cacti, including some large ones. They measured the electromagnetic field by placing the cactus in various positions and came to a clear conclusion: the effect was null. Although this trick has been refuted, the popular belief has remained and there are those who have taken advantage of it. Who is it? The cactus sellers. Image | Magnificent In Xataka | We could assume that the plant world was one of the last AI-free corners. we would be wrong
