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Coronavirus: Scientists brand 5G claims 'complete rubbish':
Conspiracy theories claiming 5G technology helps transmit coronavirus have been condemned by the scientific community.
Videos have been shared on social media showing mobile phone masts on fire in Birmingham and Merseyside - along with the claims.
The UK's mobile networks have reported 20 cases of masts being targeted in suspected arson attacks over the Easter weekend, including damage to a mast providing mobile connectivity to Birmingham's Nightingale Hospital.
The posts have been shared on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram - including by verified accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers.
TV regulator Ofcom is assessing comments made by presenter Eamonn Holmes in which he cast doubts on media outlets for their attempts to debunk the claims.
But scientists say the idea of a connection between Covid-19 and 5G is "complete rubbish" and biologically impossible.
The conspiracy theories have been branded "the worst kind of fake news" by NHS England Medical Director Stephen Powis.
[...] Many of those sharing the post are pushing a conspiracy theory falsely claiming that 5G - which is used in mobile phone networks and relies on signals carried by radio waves - is somehow responsible for coronavirus.
Tough sledding for the engineers, but concerns about 5G have been raised prior to the coronavirus.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday April 24 2020, @09:59PM
It has always been this way. But some of the things in your list of "stupid" things are not like the others. Coronavirus's nature is still not firmly established, because they are not able to test everyone to see if they've already had it and experienced no symptoms; we don't have enough data yet. Consensus in science is temporary and often overturned (see: ether).
You are right that some controversy is manufactured for ideological reasons. So what? Test all ideas and hold to those that are true. If a theory or idea can't stand up to controversy, then it's flimsy. Some ideas will kill those who hold them. Eating Tide pods, subway surfing, and socialism are a handful of examples. They are self-correcting. But if the ideas are harmless, who cares? It does not affect me one bit if the guy next to me thinks the Earth is flat.
Washington DC delenda est.