The Post-Electromagnetic Era: A Vision for Wireless Communication Beyond 6G

Electromagnetic (EM) communication is nearing its physical and thermodynamic limits, where further performance gains through spectrum optimization alone have become increasingly unsustainable. Finite bandwidth, propagation loss at higher frequencies, and the inherent trade-offs between energy and information constrain the scalability of 6G and beyond systems. These limitations drive the search for alternative mechanisms for information transfer beyond conventional EM propagation. This work introduces a state-centric framework for post-6G communication, in which information is conveyed by manipulating physical, biological, and cognitive states rather than EM waves. It identifies ten foundational paradigms that define potential carriers and interaction mechanisms for the post-electromagnetic era and outlines a research roadmap toward self-organizing, cognitively integrated networks. Together, these developments envision a new class of communication systems that are energy-aware, adaptive, and capable of uniting matter, life, and intelligence within a single informational continuum. By establishing the conceptual basis for this transition, the work provides a foundation for future research aimed at realizing communication paradigms that transcend the limitations of spectrum-bound systems.