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Articles on Electromagnetic waves

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The FAA raised concerns that new, full-speed 5G cellphone services near airports could interfere with aircraft operations. Bernal Saborio/Flickr

How 5G puts airplanes at risk – an electrical engineer explains

Airplanes use radio waves to determine how far off the ground they are. New 5G cellphone services come close to the same frequencies the airplanes use. Here’s how that can be a problem.
The Wi-Fi symbol, like the technology it represents, has become ubiquitous. Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images

How does Wi-Fi work? An electrical engineer explains

Wi-Fi has become a fundamental part of modern digital life, but its foundation is the same as the technology that allowed your great-grandparents to listen to their favorite radio programs.
Pocket your phone without worry. Phone image via www.shutterstock.com.

Why you can’t fry eggs (or testicles) with a cellphone

Did your holiday gift list include radiation-shielding undies to protect your privates from cellphone radio waves? A radiation expert explains they’re unnecessary – your phone won’t affect your fertility.
A new development could mean vastly increase data transfer over optical fibre cables. Shutterstock

Twisted light could dramatically boost internet speeds

The design of a new chip to detect the twisted nature of light waves could pave the way for next generation of optical communication technologies.
Making waves. Flickr/Max Nathan

Explainer: making waves in science

We find them at the beach, in every sound and light show, the miracle of wi-fi and now in the fabric of space-time itself. But what exactly is a wave?
The Large Hadron Collider is playing a key role in enabling the collection of big data. Supplied

The big data challenge and how Africa can benefit

Big data is about processing large amounts of data. It is often associated with multiplicities of data. But the ability to generate data outpaces the ability to store it.

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