Ever think technology could be causing you health risks or
health problems? Current studies show
that cell phone use can cause cancer and brain tumors. Experts say the concern over cell-phone use stems from a
form of radiation that's produced when the devices communicate with their base
station. Wireless phones transmit a low-frequency form of radiation that is
also used in microwave ovens and AM/FM radios. While high-frequency radiation,
such as in an X-RAY, is known to cause cancer at high doses, the risks of this
milder form remain unclear. A cell phone's main source of RF is its antenna,
from which it sends a signal to the nearest base-station antenna. The further a
cell phone is from the base station, the more RF it needs to establish and
maintain a connection. Israeli
researchers stated earlier this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology
that long-term cell-phone users living in rural areas faced an elevated risk of
developing tumors in the parotid gland compared with users who live in suburban
or urban areas. A few small studies have
shown that using a cell phone for an hour each day over a 10-year period can increase the risk of developing a rare brain tumor and that
those tumors are more likely to be on the side of your head that you use to
talk on the phone. The Food and Drug
Administration recommends minimizing any potential risk by using hands-free
devices and keeping cell-phone talk to a minimum.
It’s crazy to think that something that we
believe is helping us every day can be hurting our health behind the
scenes. The average use of cell phones
is 12.3 calls per day. With this average
climbing every day, the risk of cancer or tumors is also climbing. Many people are attached to their cells
phones and will continue to take the risk of these health problems in order to
communicate with technological devices.
"How Safe Are Cell Phones?" The Daily Beast.
Newsweek/Daily Beast, 18 Dec. 2007. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2007/12/18/how-safe-are-cell-phones.html>.
Hey Court I enjoyed reading your post. I really liked how you brought up the point about if cell phones are really safe especally considering how addicted people have become to their cellphones. Do you feel that since young peple have a thinner skull that they are in more risk of the radation that the cell phone emmits?
ReplyDeleteI really like you post. I do remember when my father purchased his first cell phone that there was a scare involving those who used cell phones and that they had a greater risk of obtaining a brain tumor. But now that many years have gone by, and cell phones have changed a lot, I never even thought about the health risks that they have on humans. When I was younger and my dad wanted me to use his cell phone to call my mom, I would refuse because I didn't want to get a brain tumor. But now that cell phones are almost everyone, I have forgot about the potentially risks that they possess.
ReplyDelete