/sci/ - Science & Math

Electrical engineers, please help me understand this:

I was setting out to debunk the new-age theory of "earthing", which says among other things that our bodies need to be electrically nutralized by spending lots of time connected with the earth, since modern life has our bodies accumulating all this negative/positive charge (I've heard different things).

I assume that this is flawed theory, because as soon as you touch a grounded iron rod etc, you'll instantly electrically neutralize. I.e. humans are pretty much electrically in balance (neutral) most of the time, since we touch grounded metal stuff all the time.

However, I need help with understanding a video on the topic I found. This new-age guy on youtube is using a voltmeter that has one lead connected to ground, and one to himself. When he stands on some wood, the voltmeter reads 1.4 volts. When he steps down to the ground it reads 0 volt. When he steps back up, it reads 1.4 again. Watch it in 4k to see the details of the voltmeter.

Why does it read 1.4 V? What does that indicate? Would it read 0 if he had "spent more time grounding/earthing" as they claim?


https://youtu.be/V2814itbjaw?t=163 (2:43)