Students from Escola Secundária de Lordelo win MEDEA with a study on the effects of electromagnetic fields

The Lords Quânticos team from Escola Básica e Secundária de Lordelo in Paredes was the winner of the 15th edition of MEDEA, a joint initiative by the Portuguese Society of Physics (SPF) and REN – National Energy Networks aimed at promoting the understanding of Physics and the study of electromagnetic fields. The Nekoma team from Paços de Ferreira Secondary School received an Honourable Mention. Both teams' projects involved measuring electromagnetic fields from various sources.

Daniel Neto, Diogo Lamas, João Ribeiro, Nuno Gomes, and Pedro Bessa, members of Lords Quânticos, under the supervision of teacher Rui Almeida, measured magnetic field values in energy transmission lines, substations, and the power cables of a heating plate, comparing the results with the maximum levels allowed by current legislation.

The project presented by Nekoma from Paços de Ferreira Secondary School mapped magnetic fields in high-traffic areas (particularly near medium and high-voltage cables and substations) and shared the findings with the community. The team is composed of Afonso Mota and Beatriz Santos, with the support of teacher Rosa Neto.

José António Paixão from the SPF offered a positive review of this edition. “With MEDEA, we’ve managed to bring classroom concepts into experimental measurement and then associate and interpret them from the perspective of daily life. This project sparks scientific curiosity in students and helps dispel the commonly held notion that very high voltage is more harmful than the household appliances we use every day.”

The award-winning students will be honoured on 14 September, during the 24th National Physics Conference and the 34th Iberian Meeting for Physics Teaching, which will take place at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra from 11 to 14 September 2024.

The 16th edition of MEDEA is now open for registration. Teams can sign up at https://registo-medea.spf.pt/.

Established in 2008, MEDEA is a project by the Portuguese Society of Physics (SPF) and REN – National Energy Networks, aimed at students from the 10th to the 12th grades in secondary and vocational education. It allows students to apply the knowledge taught in educational institutions, combining scientific knowledge with everyday life through hands-on experiments, both inside and outside the classroom.

Participants develop a scientific project based on measurements of low-frequency electric and magnetic fields (0-300 Hz) in the environment, particularly at their school, home, and near energy transmission lines. They also seek scientifically credible information on the potential effects of these fields on human health. The participating schools receive an electric and magnetic field meter, which they use throughout the project.

At the end, each team presents a video and a poster about their project. The best teams are awarded prizes.