The purpose of this article was to present a brief review of pertinent information regarding the effects of microwave radiation on biological systems. Researchers have been intrigued by the interaction of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and various life processes since the 18th century. Microwaves refer to the oscillation of an EMF with a wavelength of 1 mm to 1 m, which penetrates matter to varying degrees. With the widespread and ever-increasing use of microwaves, such as cellular telephones and other wireless technologies, great attention and research has been paid to the potential adverse biological effects. It is well recognized that microwaves affect the biological functions of living organisms at both the cellular and molecular levels, and can lead to the appearance of toxicity, genotoxicity and transformation. However, until now no satisfactory mechanism has been proposed to explain the biological effects of these fields. Therefore, increasing attention should be focused on the biological effects of microwaves in the future, especially since microwaves have extensive applications in various fields.