Aug 13, 2026 · 1h 6m
Science debunks the 49ers substation injury theory
We Solve the 49ers Viral Conspiracy Theory
The investigation tests how weak evidence, misread timelines, and injury randomness can turn a plausible-sounding claim into a viral conspiracy theory.
- 1Measured electromagnetic fields near the facility were far below established safety limits.
- 2The theory relies on weak, inconsistent biological evidence and a timeline involving a different substation.
- 3Injury data do not clearly make the 49ers uniquely affected, leaving ordinary explanations more plausible.
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A detailed map review shows that the 2014 substation expansion cited by the theory involved a different site roughly a mile away.
The brief
Science Vs and Pablo Torre Finds Out investigate whether a substation beside the San Francisco 49ers’ practice facility explains the team’s injury history.
Peter Anthony Cowan helped popularize the theory after measuring electromagnetic fields and connecting them to oxidative stress, collagen, and the team’s injuries.
Radiation expert Ken Karapides says the highest reading near the facility was far below established exposure thresholds, while the cited biological evidence is weak and inconsistent.
A map review breaks the theory’s central timeline: the substation expanded in 2014 was roughly a mile away, not the one beside the facility.
Epidemiologist Zachary Binney finds that injury rankings depend on the measure used, while practice demands, coaching, and randomness offer less dramatic explanations.
Pablo Torre
Pablo Torre Finds Out
Kyle ShanahanListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.