see http://www.dragonfly75.com/eng/OMFresearch.html

57, I don't think an electric field and a magnetic field have "the same biological effect", although I'll admit that in some cases the results might appear that way. Yes an electron has both electric and magnetic fields, but they are very different in one fundamental way - a stationary magnetic field can not transmit or transfer electromagnetic energy. Sure, a big DC electromagnet can lift a car, but it can not *by induction* do as little as light a flashlight within the car. This is covered explicitly by two of Maxwells equations - direct current in a wire produces a stationary magnetic field around the wire, but a stationary field around a wire produces no current within the wire. In other words, there ain't no such thing as a DC transformer.

This is because of another of the fab four - there is no such thing as a magnetic monopole. The electron is basically an electric monopole, in that it is a physical particle that has only a negative charge. Any permanent magnet thingy, from a big bar magnet down to the tiniest ferrous particle, has both a north and south pole. The proton also is monopole-like in that it has only one polarity of charge, but you can't have a pile of protons just sitting around like you can with electrons.

OK, I think I wandered off a bit. My point is that a stationary magnetic field can affect a mass, but only if the mass has magnetic properties, and even then it is more like gravity than physioelectric. However, a stationary electric field can have some kind of "electrical effect" on almost anything.

ak