The arrest of suspected United Healthcare CEO murderer Luigi Mangione has led to even more questions about the 26-year-old purported methods and motives. One piece of his gear in particular has raised eyebrows among some observers.
According to CNN, prosecutors claimed in court on Dec. 9 that Mangione had a Faraday bag on him, which they believe serves as "evidence of criminal sophistication" in the case. Mangione, for his part, said that his backpack was simply waterproof and didn't know about its other properties.
Read on if you're in the market for a new bag and are curious just what this specialty product does.
A Faraday bag, similar to Faraday cages used in science and medicine, is used by those looking to protect themselves from electromagnetic interference.
The technology is named after British physicist Michael Faraday, a pioneer in electromagnetics whose research established the concept of electromagnetic fields in the 1830s.
Faraday bags are designed to block electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency signals using special fabrics.
In recent years, a number of EMF-blocking apparel products and accessories have emerged for those looking to limit their exposure or tracking. This includes specially made hats, clothes, and bags that stop these signals from coming in or going out, thereby increasing security against any outside hackers as well as purported (albeit unproven) negative health outcomes that some people might associate with these frequencies.
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Signal-blocking bags are available from a number of companies like Disklabs and SLNT and even online retailers like Amazon. If you're looking for a celebrity-endorsed brand, rapper M.I.A. got into the game earlier this year with a new streetwear line made with silver and precious metals designed to block Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G signals.
With the growth in concerns around 5G and other electronic signals in recent years, scientists around the globe have embarked on a number of studies to examine the possible drawbacks of exposure to these frequencies. The literature, however, continues to provide conflicting answers.
A 2022 study in the Environmental Health journal, for example, argued that "health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment" are "urgently needed." A 2021 study in the Nature journal, meanwhile, showed "no confirmed evidence that low-level [radiofrequency] fields above 6 GHz such as those used by the 5G network are hazardous to human health."
