Biomagnetism: Difference between revisions
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==Prominent Researchers== |
==Prominent Researchers== |
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* [[David Cohen]] |
* [[David Cohen (physicist)| David Cohen]] |
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* [[John Wikswo]] |
* [[John Wikswo]] |
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* [[Samuel Williamson]] |
* [[Samuel Williamson]] |
Revision as of 15:57, 4 June 2010
Biomagnetism is the phenomenon of magnetic fields produced by living organisms; it is a subset of bioelectromagnetism. The study of the biological effects of magnetic fields is magnetobiology. (The word biomagnetism has also been used loosely, to include magnetobiology, that is, to encompass almost any combination of the words magnetism and biology.)
The origin of the word biomagnetism is unclear, but seems to have appeared several hundred years ago, linked to the expression "animal magnetism." The present scientific definition took form in the 1970’s, when an increasing number of researchers began to measure the magnetic fields produced by the human body. The first valid measurement was actually made in 1963[1], but the field began to expand only after a low-noise technique was developed in 1970[2]. Today the community of biomagnetic researchers does not have a formal organization, but international conferences are held every two years, with about 600 attendees. Most conference activity centers around the MEG (magnetoencephalogram), the measurement of the magnetic field of the brain.
Prominent Researchers
Conferences
- Biomag2008, the 16th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Sapporo, Japan, August 25-29, 2008
- Biomag2006, the 15th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 21-25, 2006
- Biomag2004, the 14th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, August 8-12, 2004
- Biomag2002, the 13th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Jena, Germany, August 10-14, 2002
- Biomag2000, the 12th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Helsinki, Espoo, August 13-17, 2000
- Biomag1998, the 11th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Sendai, Japan, August 28-September 2, 1998
- Biomag1996, the 10th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 16-21, 1996
- Biomag1993, the 9th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Vienna, Austria, August 14-20, 1993
- Biomag1991, the 8th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Munster, Germany, August 19-24, 1991
- Biomag1989, the 7th International Conference on Biomagnetism, New York, New York, USA, August 13-18, 1989
- Biomag1987, the 6th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Tokyo, Japan, August 27-30, 1987
The next conference, Biomag2010, the 17th International Conference on Biomagnetism, will be held in Dubrovnik, Croatia from Sunday, March 28 through Thursday, April 1, 2010.
Notes
Further reading
- Williamson SH, Romani GL, Kaufman L, Modena I, editors. Biomagnetism: An Interdisciplinary Approach. 1983. NATO ASI series. New York: Plenum Press.
- Cohen, D. Boston and the history of biomagnetism. Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology 2004; 30: 1.
See also
- Magnetocardiography
- Magnetoencephalography
- Magnetogastrography
- SQUID
- Magnetoception - sensing of magnetic fields by organisms