In 1985, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert O. Becker published The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life (with Gary Selden). The book remains one of the most influential and, at some point, controversial works in the field of bioelectromagnetics. It presents a vision of the human body as an electrical system in which minute direct currents (DC) guide growth, healing, and regeneration — and warns that the ubiquitous artificial electromagnetic fields of modern life technology, may disrupt those same functional systems in the body.
Dr. Robert O. Becker life & work.
Robert Otto Becker was born on May 31, 1923, in River Edge, New Jersey. He earned his medical degree from New York University–Bellevue Medical School in 1948 and completed specialized training in pathology and orthopedic surgery. He spent virtually his entire career at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Syracuse, New York, and as a faculty member at the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical Center.
As chief of orthopedic surgery and later director of a dedicated research laboratory, Becker investigated the role of bioelectric currents in growth, healing, tissue regeneration, infection control and the biological effects of environmental electromagnetic energy. He received the Middleton Award (1964) and the Nicholas Andry Award (1979). He was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize. Becker retired in the early 1980s after his laboratory funding was terminated and died on May 14, 2008. His major books include Electromagnetism and Life (with Andrew A. Marino, 1982), The Body Electric (1985), and Cross Currents (1990).
Main Findings of His Research
Becker’s central thesis is that living organisms possess a primitive DC (direct-current) electrical control system: the medical, classical nervous system. Key discoveries include:
- The current of injury: After amputation (or injury), the polarity and magnitude of surface electrical potentials changes dramatically. In regenerating animals like salamanders, the stump becomes strongly negative, correlating with blastema formation and successful regeneration. In non-regenerating animals (adult frogs & other mammals), the potential remains positive and scarring occurs.
- Partial mammalian regeneration: By applying carefully controlled negative DC currents, Becker and colleagues induced partial limb regeneration in rats — including bone, muscle, nerve and even early digit-like structures.
- Piezoelectric properties of bone: Mechanical stress on bones, generates electrical potentials that help direct remodeling according to Wolff’s law.
- Silver electrode effects: Positive silver electrodes demonstrated potent antibacterial action; negative currents stimulated tissue growth and regeneration.
- Acupuncture and skin conductivity: Becker was able to measure lower electrical resistance at many classical acupuncture points. That provides an objective biophysical correlation for the meridian system, demonstrating undeniable value of the ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine system.
- Environmental EMFs as biological stressors: Synthetic electromagnetic fields, especially in the extremely low-frequency (ELF) range, can interfere with the body’s endogenous electrical control systems.
These findings challenged the dominant medical and biochemical-reductionist model of biology at the time. Now 50 years later, Dr. Beckers finding are at the core of the medical revolution behind the MedBeds and the Frequency Therapies.
Researched Effects of Long Exposure to Radiofrequency and Electromagnetic Fields
Becker argued that the body evolved in the relatively quiet electromagnetic environment of the Earth’s magnetic field and its natural micropulsations (roughly 0–30 Hz). Modern power-frequency (50/60 Hz), radiofrequency, and microwave exposures are a novel stressors.
He reported or cited evidence linking prolonged exposure to:
- Alterations in central nervous system function and behavior
- Changes in growth and healing rates
- Possible increases in stress-related conditions
- Interference with the body’s own DC control currents
Becker emphasized "non-thermal effects" — biological responses occurring at field strengths too low to cause significant temperature increases. While many of his specific hazard claims remain contested in mainstream toxicology, the broader field of bioelectromagnetics has since confirmed that weak EMFs can influence cellular signaling, calcium flux, and gene expression under certain conditions.
Frequency Ranges Explored for Biological Benefit
Becker worked primarily with:
- Extremely low-frequency (ELF) fields and natural geomagnetic micropulsations (0–30 Hz)
- Very small direct currents in the nanoampere (nA) to picoampere range
- Optimal current densities for cellular effects often cited around 300–500 pA/mm² or approximately 100–200 nA per centimeter of silver electrode
He distinguished these gentle, physiologically matched signals from the much stronger or higher-frequency fields used in conventional diathermy or radar.
Protocols Recommended by Becker
For clinical application, especially non-union fractures and osteomyelitis, Becker favored:
- Implanted or surface silver electrodes delivering low-level DC current
- Negative polarity at the growth/healing site to encourage regeneration
- Positive silver for antibacterial effects
- Avoidance of unnecessary exposure to strong artificial EMFs (power lines, certain military communication systems, etc.)
He also advocated further research into electrical methods for spinal-cord injury, organ regeneration, and infection control.
Why His Research Did Not Take Center Stage in Academia Until Recently
Becker’s work challenged the prevailing chemical-mechanistic paradigm of mid-to-late 20th-century medicine. When he publicly raised concerns about the health effects of high-voltage power lines and military ELF communication projects (including Project Seafarer), institutional resistance intensified. Laboratory funding was withdrawn around 1980, and his research unit was closed. Critics within mainstream physiology sometimes dismissed bioelectric control theories as outdated or methodologically flawed. The combination of paradigm conflict, military and industrial interests in EMF technologies and the difficulty of studying subtle non-thermal effects contributed to decades of relative marginalization.
Who Is Continuing on His Path of Research — Developments in the Last 20 Years
Significant continuity and expansion have occurred:
- Developmental biologist Michael Levin (Tufts University) has built an extensive modern research program on bioelectricity, membrane voltage, and regeneration, explicitly citing Becker as an early inspiration.
- Andrew A. Marino, Becker’s long-time collaborator, continued publishing and teaching on bioelectromagnetics.
- Clinical applications of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, frequency-specific micro-currents and electrical bone-growth stimulators have become more widely used and researched.
- Ongoing studies explore ELF-EMF effects on pathogens, cellular reprogramming, and tissue repair.
While not all of Becker’s stronger hazard claims have been universally accepted, the core idea that endogenous electric fields and membrane voltages are fundamental regulators of biology is now an active and growing area of research.
Documentaries, Interviews, and Educational Videos
Notable media appearances and discussions include:
- Becker’s 1977 interview on CBS 60 Minutes
- Various long-form interviews available on YouTube (including discussions of electromagnetic keys to health and disease)
- Audiobook readings and chapter-by-chapter explorations of The Body Electric
- Mentions in broader EMF and biofield documentaries and lectures
These resources help convey both the scientific content and the personal story of a researcher who paid a professional price for his conclusions.
Four Foundational and Related Books
- The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life – Robert O. Becker & Gary Selden
- Cross Currents: The Promise of Electromedicine, the Perils of Electropollution – Robert O. Becker
- Electromagnetism and Life – Robert O. Becker & Andrew A. Marino
- Related modern works exploring bioelectricity and regeneration (e.g., writings and research summaries associated with Michael Levin’s laboratory)
Conclusion
Dr. Robert O. Becker’s The Body Electric invites us to see the human body not merely as a collection of chemical reactions, but as a living electrical system capable of remarkable self-repair when its endogenous currents are supported. His warnings about artificial electromagnetic fields remain relevant in an age of ubiquitous wireless technology, while his regenerative findings continue to inspire new generations of researchers.
Whether or not every one of his conclusions ultimately withstands further scrutiny, Becker expanded the conversation about what is possible in healing and forced medicine to reconsider the role of electricity in life itself. For readers interested in the intersection of physics, biology, and clinical practice, his work remains essential reading — a reminder that the body is, in a very real sense, electric.
Definitions
Surface potential: The electrical voltage measurable on the surface of the skin (or other tissue) relative to a reference point. In bioelectric research (including Becker’s work), surface potentials are mapped to study the body’s endogenous DC electrical fields. These are typically in the millivolt (mV) range.
Electrical potentials: Differences in electric charge (voltage) between two points. In living systems these include membrane potentials across cell membranes, injury potentials (current of injury) that appear after tissue damage, standing DC potentials along the body axis or limbs
Wolff’s law: A principle in bone physiology stating that bone adapts its structure to the mechanical loads placed upon it. Bone is deposited where needed and resorbed where not needed. Becker and others linked this to piezoelectric properties of bone: mechanical stress generates small electrical potentials that help guide remodeling.
Lower electrical resistance at acupuncture points: Multiple researchers, including Becker, measured that many classical acupuncture points show lower electrical resistance (higher conductivity) compared with surrounding skin. This provided a biophysical correlate for the traditional meridian system, although the exact anatomical basis remains debated.
Endogenous electrical control systems: The body’s own internal electrical signaling systems that help regulate growth, healing, and regeneration. Becker proposed that a primitive DC electrical system (distinct from the classical action-potential nervous system) acts as a control layer for these processes. The “current of injury” and polarity shifts after amputation are key examples.
Cited Sources
- Becker, R.O. & Selden, G. (1985). The Body Electric.
- Becker, R.O. & Marino, A.A. (1982). Electromagnetism and Life.
- Becker, R.O. (1990). Cross Currents.
- Wikipedia and biographical summaries of Robert O. Becker.
- Peer-reviewed papers by Becker on electrical osteogenesis, limb regeneration, and bioelectric potentials (1970s–1980s).
- Contemporary discussions of Becker’s influence on Michael Levin and modern bioelectricity research.
- Historical accounts of funding termination and institutional response (including 60 Minutes appearance and subsequent events).
- Reviews of non-thermal EMF bioeffects and clinical electrical stimulation literature.