Testing Cell Phone Radiation on Humans
Posted by
Zonk
on Fri Mar 03, 2006 11:09 AM
from the my-precious-brains-are-already-scrambled dept.
from the my-precious-brains-are-already-scrambled dept.
Palm Addict writes "News.com reports that Finland's radiation watchdog is to study the effects of mobile phones on human proteins by direct tests on people's skin. From the article: 'A pilot study, to be conducted next week, will expose a small area of skin on volunteers' arms to cell phone radiation for the duration of a long phone call, or for one hour, research professor Dariusz Leszczynski said on Friday.'"
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Radiation sauna (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds good, but... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Sounds good, but... (Score:3, Informative)
RTFA.
In previous tests, Leszczynski's group found evidence of mobile phone radiation causing cell-level changes such as shrinkage, but he said it was still impossible to say if that ha
What they'll find (Score:3, Interesting)
Radiation levels (Score:5, Informative)
Within the US models listed, Motorola has the highest with its Motorola V120c, and the lowest goes to the Audiovox PPC66001.
Maybe people will want to check this chart before buying a new cell phone? Maybe not.
Problems with comparing levels (Score:3, Insightful)
Why arm skin? (Score:4, Insightful)
They should find out how the radiation affects the two bodily areas my phone is usually found, which coincidentally are the two areas I'm most worried about irradiating.
Re:Why arm skin? (Score:5, Funny)
effects on proteins on the skin? (Score:3, Informative)
At any rate, it will be good to have another study on this subject, to add weight either that the radiation is mostly harmless, or that we need to start wearing a layer of tin foil...
This is silly (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:This is silly (Score:3, Informative)
Re:This is silly (Score:3, Interesting)
Alternating magnetic fields aren't generally considered ionizing radiation either, but rat [ehponline.org]
More interesting than the test itself (Score:5, Interesting)
...would be the reaction of the world if these things really do cause cancer. Would we just deal with the risk? Rebuild all the towers to use frequencies that don't penetrate human skin? Give up cell phones altogether? Would insurance companies hike your rates if you use a cellphone?
Re:More interesting than the test itself (Score:3, Interesting)
Two words: Psycho. Somatic.
Re:More interesting than the test itself (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:More interesting than the test itself (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:More interesting than the test itself (Score:3, Insightful)
Even the starting point is biased here (Score:3)
Still, using the word (which has as little meaning by itself as the word Server does) presents a set of expectations which are inaccurate for most people.
This is dumb (Score:3, Funny)
Anyone else? (Score:4, Funny)
AHHHHHHHHH! (Score:3, Informative)
Seriously though, this is a reply that I made the the last rediculous artlice about cell-phone cancer:
*Rolling Eyes* The people who study these things I think just make up dumb studies so that they can get grant money. There are three ways in which EM radiation (what cell phones use) can be dangerous, in order of severity: 1. Radiation that has the resonant frequency of molecular bonds can give a LOT of energy to the molecules that make us up. That's how a microwave oven works. The EM waves have the same frequency as the resonant frequency for water molecules.
2. Radiation can kick off electrons (beta particles) or protons (alpha particles). If an element loses an electron it becomes more volatile. If an element in our DNA loses a proton it can change the DNA. That's why strong radiation can cause cancer.
3. Radiation can generally heat us up.
Cell phone radiation is not even strong enough to kick off an electron unless it is VERY loosely bound. It has no chance of kicking off a proton.
Bottom line: Unless you feel your brain start cooking (the sun is WAY more likely to cook your brain), don't worry.
Re:AHHHHHHHHH! (Score:3, Interesting)
1. Radiation that has the resonant frequency of molecular bonds can give a LOT o
Re:This reminds me of mobile cooking (Score:5, Informative)
That makes no sense (Score:3, Insightful)
2.4 Ghz of energy
What the hell is "2.4 GHz of energy"? That makes no sense. 2.4 GHz is merely the frequency, not the intensity. The unit you're looking for is "watts". Your crappy little bluetooth transmitter is very low wattage, but your cellphone trans
Re:That makes no sense (Score:3, Informative)
Just to give you an idea though of the relative weakness of intensity of a cellphone transmission, a cellphone typically transmits at no greater than 2 watts (typically around 1) ... my microwave oven on the other hand is 900 watts. A typical bluetooth hea