We live in a society where people can’t survive without their cell phone for more than a day. The relationship between a person and their cell phone rivals the great relationships of Romeo and Juliet, Cookies and Cream, Jay-Z and Beyonce, and Adrian Peterson and his kids. With the growing usage of cell phones, this topic/issue/concern has gained much publicity recently and rightfully so. It should come as no surprise that cell phone ownership is at an all time high. As of January of this year, 90% of American adults own a cell phone and 58% of American adults own a smartphone (“Mobile Technology Fact Sheet”). Of the people that own cell phones, many of them constantly check their phones for their new messages, calls, etc. at all times of the day. If they own a smart phone, then they most likely check their phone many times a day for Twitter notifications/updates, their Instagram feed, emails, YouTube, and many other applications that require cellular connection. While it may seem inconvenient to those reading, a world without cellular phones could be a safer world. Imagine if every time a cell phone is brought to a persons ear or lays next to a person in their sleep, the cell phone slowly kills the user.
I am not writing this to dissuade anybody from using their cell phone, however, in the tradition of science, all possibilities must be explored before a conclusion can be reached. The reason behind the fear that cell phones lead to cancer is cell phones emit radio waves that human tissue can absorb. Over time, the number of cell phone calls has drastically increased, as well as the length of each call.
Cell phones emit radio-frequency energy, better known as radio waves. Radio Waves are one of two forms of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation has two forms: ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation exposure has been proven to lead to cancer, whereas non-ionizing radiation (radar, microwaves, cell phones) has not been proven to lead to the creation of cancerous cells. However, a recent study demonstrated that when a person used a cell phone for 50 minutes, brain tissue on the side of the head that the cell phone was used began to metabolize glucose faster than the brain tissue from the other side of the head. Health consequences of an increased glucose (sugar) metabolism in the brain are unclear until further research is conducted. Lastly, in summation, the following passage is published on the National Cancer Institutes website: “Studies thus far have not shown a consistent link between cell phone use and cancers of the brain, nerves, or other tissues of the head or neck. More research is needed because cell phone technology and how people use cell phones have been changing rapidly” (“Cell Phones and Cancer Risk”).
It seems that the verdict on cell phones is still unclear. Instead of calling your parents to tell them to ditch their phones, try writing a letter. You never know.
Works Cited
“Cell Phones and Cancer Risk.” National Cancer Institute. National Cancer Institute, 24 June 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
“Mobile Technology Fact Sheet.” Pew Research Internet Project. Pew Research Center, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.
This is a very interesting article. My science teacher last year always told us not to sleep while our phones were next to us because it could cause brain cancer. I agree with you that we should limit our usage of phones. I think the best way to do this is while we’re idle. If we are not using our phones, we should put them on a table away from us. You can also text (iMessage) people using mac computers instead of your cell phones. I don’t think we should carry mac lap tops around with us everywhere, but if in time we find out that cell phones do cause cancer we could use lap tops as alternatives!
It puzzles me that radiation from radar traffic devices can lead to cancer, but the radiation from a phone. Although, the radiation may not be as strong, most people use there phone a great amount of the time, how are they not effected? I looked up various studies and still didn’t find any outstanding discovery. Maybe our bodies are immune to its power. http://www.wingover.ch/Elektrosmog/cancer.pdf
I wrote a blog about this as well but my findings were slightly different. What I learned was recently, the World Health Organization listed mobile phone use in the same “carcinogenic hazard” category as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform. I never knew this but apparently cell phone companies warn users to keep their cellphone a few inches away from their head or even encourage them to use the speaker phone function whenever it is possible. They also advise texting over phone calls. The reason behind these recommendations is the further the phone is from the body, the less radiation is able to be absorbed. I think it is frightening that because cellphones haven’t been being as frequently used as they are today, there is an endless possibility of negative health effects due to long term use that we consumers are unaware of. If you would like to learn more : http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/
I wrote a blog about this as well but my findings were slightly different. What I learned was recently, the World Health Organization listed mobile phone use in the same “carcinogenic hazard” category as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform. I never knew this but apparently cell phone companies warn users to keep their cellphone a few inches away from their head or even encourage them to use the speaker phone function whenever it is possible. They also advise texting over phone calls. The reason behind these recommendations is the further the phone is from the body, the less radiation is able to be absorbed. I think it is frightening that because cellphones haven’t been being as frequently used as they are today, there is an endless possibility of negative health effects due to long term use that we consumers are unaware of.
When I first got my IPhone in 9th grade my dad warned me not to sleep with my phone under my pillow because supposedly it would increase my chances of getting cancer (he thought my phone was emitting some sort of radio waves). It is relieving to know that there is no definite evidence of cell phone usage leading to cancer. The study that you talked about could be due to chance. Check out this link that goes further into this topic: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/10694565/Cancer-and-nerve-damage-is-this-the-human-cost-of-an-iPhone.html