The Science Behind the Cell Phone Cancer Scare

• Cell phone radio waves have long been dismissed as too weak to cause any harm to people but nevertheless are still investigated by scientists today.
• Despite the facts that the energy from heat of phone waves is so weak and blood circulation would thin it out even more, there are implications of the waves being able to set off a chemical reaction in the thermoreceptors, but the consequences are unknown.
• While a 2006 study showed no relation between phones and cancer, a smaller study in 2008 warned of possible adverse affects, although the connection may not necessarily have been tied to cell phone use.
• Another factor to take into consideration is that there have been other false alarms related to cancer/cell phones in the past such as power lines and transmission boxes supposedly causing cancer or bees supposedly getting misdirected by radio waves.

The biggest factor to take into consideration when looking at this article is the fact that although lab tests may lean towards cell phones causing cancer, there really has not been any significant rise in brain cancer since cell phones started coming into wide use. So, if there is some connection to cancer, it obviously is not appearing easily. Of course, the article could have been completely biased with its sources but that wouldn't even make it completely wrong if it were. The good thing about this particular article, is that I have absolutely no bias in the subject. I am not really that wary about cancer, while as far as cell phone use goes; if my cell phone isn't lost, it's out of batteries. However, where the real key in proving or disproving that cell phones are dangerous lies in the fact that younger and younger generations are beggining to use them. As younger children's brains are not as fully developed, I would assume that that makes them more suceptible to damage and outside influence. This, paired with parents giving thier children cell phones at younger and younger ages, could have serious implications. However, data from research such as this must be handled very, very carefully, as I remember a story of how a tiny mistake gleaned from an experiment about a dead child lead to thousands of people suffering, some even dieing due to unecessary radiation treatment. Either way though, I'm sure that soon enough, research will end this debate once and for all. Unless, of course, another method of instant communication is discovered, but who knows what the future holds?

Source:

• "The Science Behind the Cell Phone Cancer Scare - Cancer - FOXNews.com." Breaking News | Latest News | Current News - FOXNews.com. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.

Pictures:

• "Cell Phones May Revolutionize Cancer Care for Young Patients | TopNews." Top News | Only Top Stories of the Day. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. .
• "Reader Question #1." Good Financial Cents -Jeff Rose Certified Financial Planner and Investment Advisor, Carbondale, Illinois. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. .