From unfounded global theories linking 5G technology and Covid-19, to widespread panics about nuclear exposure, radiation scares have been with us for more than a century. The term radiophobia was first used in the U.S. in the early 1900s. In the following century, fresh anxieties have accompanied the release of new innovations, including radio broadcasts, microwave ovens and power lines. 

“We are more afraid of risks that we can't see,” said David Ropeik, an author and risk perception and communication consultant who has written extensively about the subject. “That's a lack of control. That's an awful lot of emotional baggage that radiation has to deal with.”

While events such as the Cold War nuclear arms race and the Chernobyl disaster did much to stoke widespread panic, scientists have long confirmed that low-level radio waves pose little risk to our health. However, bad science and conspiracy theories have continued to swirl around what many still believe to be an invisible enemy. Here are just a few examples.

Microwaves and ovens

Ever since their introduction in the 1940s, microwave ovens have been the source of scientifically dubious fears. First intended for commercial catering, they made cooking faster and easier, but many considered them hazardous to health. Some opponents said they would remove nutrients from food or render it radioactive. Many believed that they would cause cancer.