Yes and no.<p>How do you think the human standing right next to the tower is not getting fried?<p>Humans climb live radio towers routinely.<p>The tissue absorption of RF energy at common AM station frequencies(below 2mhz) is negligible. Maximum absorption happens around the frequencies commonly used by FM stations (about 100mhz)<p>I have climbed near an live FM antenna. You can feel the heat(well, radiation, converted to heat by your body tissue) from the antenna, it feels like a heat lamp. Your eyes are the most sensitive parts as they have the least ability to dissipate excess heat. The old rule-of-thumb is, if your eyes are watering, you&#x27;re too close to the antenna. But like most things &#x27;the way they use to do it&#x27; -- by that point damage is already being done. Cataracts are one of the first signs of RF induced tissue damage.<p>It would take many thousands watts, transmitted at frequencies well above common AM frequencies to cause any sort of instant damage. I have never seen a field of dead birds near even major FM stations broadcasting with 50kw+ power.