We have used a clinical magnetic resonance imager to search for the po
ssible effects of a 1.5 T magnetic fields on the growth of the yeast S
accharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast samples were grown in nutrient broth co
ntained in constant-temperature boxes, both in and out of the magnetic
field of the imager. Growth was measured by using a hemocytometer and
light microscope to calculate cell densities. Over the time span corr
esponding to approximately seven cell divisions, we find no convincing
statistical evidence for an effect of magnetic field on cell density.
(C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.