The tower has very powerful RF energy running through it. The plant is quite conductive so when the kid touches the plant to the tower, the RF goes through the plant, through the kid, and into the ground, forming a complete circuit. All this current flowing through the plant makes it heat up (which is also why the kid kept jerking his hand back). When the plant heats up it starts burning. The flame gets ionized by the strong RF current and “sings” in response to amplitude modulated RF. It’s sort of plasma speaker.
I know very little about the health effects of intense RF exposure, but I know enough not to needlessly mess around with it. Even if death or serious injury isn't a likely outcome in the situation depicted -- and I'm not sure that either can be ruled out -- the comments indicate that long-term effects might come into play. Not a very smart passtime.
That said, the physics of the situation are fascinating.
Perhaps another type of grass is also involved in getting stupid people to do stupid things on camera.
> I know very little about the health effects of intense RF exposure, but I know enough not to needlessly mess around with it. Even if death or serious injury isn't a likely outcome in the situation depicted -- and I'm not sure that either can be ruled out -- the comments indicate that long-term effects might come into play. Not a very smart passtime.
>
> That said, the physics of the situation are fascinating.
I believe this is probably an AM station which operates somewhere between 0.5 Megahertz and 1.7 Mhz, far below the frequency of Cell Phones which we place right next to our brain.
Since this Energy in RF radiation is proportional to the frequency, cellular damage from the low frequency AM band radiation would be unlikely even at close range. Electrocution however would be of far greater concern.
