Why It Pays To Scrutinise Conspiracy Theories

Believing the buzz around the unproven health risks of 5G could cause an opportunity to slip through your fingers.

- Peet Serfontein

One of the weird commentaries on the outbreak and spread of the coronavirus is a theory that it’s linked to the recent implementation of 5G technology. In times of crises, conspiracy theories can spread as quickly as the virus itself. While the coronavirus pandemic has tightened its grip on the world, we have all struggled – and are still struggling – to understand the magnitude of the situation. The cherry on top was 5G.

But what is 5G really? It’s an upgrade of the previous generations’ 2-, 3- and 4G, but it’s more than that. This powerful technology is going to be the basis of what the telecommunications industry calls a ‘revolution’. It will allow far more complex applications of the internet. Virtually everything is online nowadays. 5G is necessary to run self-driving cars, do remote surgery and maintain smart cities and houses, including rapid access to movies and music.

To enable this, the 5G network will use the millimetre wave portion of the frequency spectrum. These are low-frequency short waves that cannot penetrate through walls or other obstacles, such as trees. They can be transmitted via small antennae from a base station to avoid obstacles and reach their destination. These stations are mostly small.