MOBILE PHONE CARCINOGENESIS:

Possible alternatives to current mobile phone technology.

 

Background:

 

An article in the BBC news health section highlights possible health hazards of using mobile phones frequently due to radiation.

 

"The impact that mobile phones have on health is unclear. Some scientific studies have linked use of mobiles to headaches, memory loss and cancer, while the industry claims that they are perfectly safe."

Recent discoveries have been made into the effects of mobile phones on the brain and other parts of the human body in which the cellular device comes into close proximity.

 

Wikipedia states, "Part of the radio waves emitted by a mobile telephone handset are absorbed by the human head. The radio waves emitted by a GSM handset can have a peak power of 2 watts, and a US analogue phone had a maximum transmit power of 3.6 watts."..."The rate at which radiation is absorbed by the human body is measured by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), and its maximum levels for modern handsets have been set by governmental regulating agencies in many countries. In the USA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a SAR limit of 1.6 W/kg, averaged over a volume of 1 gram of tissue, for the head. In Europe, the limit is 2 W/kg, averaged over a volume of 10 grams of tissue. SAR values are heavily dependent on the size of the averaging volume."

While many industrial businesses deny the fact that mobile phones may cause cancer, science has proven the increased radiation close to the brain can cause adverse effects. With technology growing into our lives at a rapid rate, the number of hours the average first world, middle class person uses a cellular device is increasing. This may cause widespread health defects of short term and long term effects, a suitable solution needs to be found.

 

WIFI

With an increasing net of WiFi connectivity in urban environments, wireless communication over the Internet is becoming even more accessible. The popular apple 'app' for ios devices called FaceTime utilises this connection to provide video and audio communication as long as both parties have the same software and a suitable WiFi connection. This technique of communication insists the user hold the phone away from their body to get their face in frame, aswell as using WiFi not standard cellular signals, this could greatly reduce the risk of carcinogenic reactions.

 

WIFI SAFETY

 

"Most wireless LAN equipment is designed to work within predefined standards. Wireless access points are also often close to humans, but the drop off in power over distance is fast, following the inverse-square law. However, wireless laptops are typically used close to humans. WiFi has been anecdotally linked to electromagnetic hypersensitivity, e.g., in Toronto, Canada schoolchildren as well as staff workers of France National Library."(Wikipedia.org, 2011) This article states that while WiFi signals may be potentially damaging to human tissue, the effects of this communication greatly drops by a factor of 10,000 at a distance of 1m. For the mobile device to connect to the WiFi emitter it too would have to emit a signal, potentially hazardous although still greatly less potent than cellular devices.

 

OTHER WIFI ALTERNATIVES:

 

There has been many apps designed and created with the intent of free communication over WiFi networks such as Skype, a free alternative to FaceTime, google voice "When you sign up for a Google Voice account, you're getting more than an alternate phone number. You can also send unlimited free texts from Gmail or your phone. Google Voice's smartphone app sends you alerts when you receive new texts" as well as many other alternatives.

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

We live in the era of technology with electronic gadgets everywhere we look and "notifications" constantly reminding us of our connection to each other through the Internet. The cellular phone helped us connect when Internet wasn't nearly as wide spread, accessible or fast. Although the mobile phone has been of great assistance in our daily lives, the risks of damage to health may out way the pro's of using the cellular device. I believe the time has come to invest in internet, through the "NBN" as well as wireless "domes" of connectivity.

 

If you believe you would rather not use a mobile phone, please pick or suggest an alternative to add to the poll.

 

REFERENCES:

 

"Mobile phone radiation and health", wikipedia.org, 10 June 2011,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health

 

"Wireless electronic devices and health", wikipedia.org, 13 may 2011,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_electronic_devices_and_health

 

"Electromagnetic hypersensitivity", wikipedia.org, 9 June 2011,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_hypersensitivity

 

"Are mobile phones a health hazard?", BBC NEWS, n/a , Friday, 25 January, 2002, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/314363.stm

Edited June 11, 201113 yr by Sweet

Well microwaves aren't carcinogenic to my understanding (it's UV and beyond that do the damage) based on that they're of a lower energy than infrared. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation)

 

But in my experience in using cordless/mobile phones I've found the side of my head gets warm and irritated. I can't imagine that it's just heat from the battery. I'm of the opinion that exposing yourself to a microwave antenna next to your head for long periods of times is going to damage your health. DNA or cells may be able to absorb this radiation and from prolonged exposure result in mutations. A novel experiment could, and probably has, been done on rats to observe the effects of long term exposure to low energy microwaves (please don't go putting rats in your microwave ovens).

We're constantly surrounded by a variety of signals and radiation regardless of whether we use a mobile phone or not.

 

Radio, TV, WiFi, Satellite, 3G, Infra-red (remote controls), Bluetooth, UV from the sun etc etc

Until I have a tumour growing out of the side of my leg or my head call me a skeptic.

Walking down a set of stairs is probably much more dangerous etc..

G.I.Joe' date=' post: 220206"']

But in my experience in using cordless/mobile phones I've found the side of my head gets warm and irritated. I can't imagine that it's just heat from the battery. I'm of the opinion that exposing yourself to a microwave antenna next to your head for long periods of times is going to damage your health. DNA or cells may be able to absorb this radiation and from prolonged exposure result in mutations.

 

That heat is the result of the RF being absorbed into your body according to the SAR. The same thing occurs with MRI machines as they apply the same principle to create the images. Do it for too long and you'll effectively cook yourself! I am of the same opinion that prolonged exposure to such microwaves cannot be healthy in the long term.

 

We're constantly surrounded by a variety of signals and radiation regardless of whether we use a mobile phone or not.

 

Radio, TV, WiFi, Satellite, 3G, Infra-red (remote controls), Bluetooth, UV from the sun etc etc

Until I have a tumour growing out of the side of my leg or my head call me a skeptic.

 

You are correct that we are surrounded by a huge variety of signals. However consider this: when you use a phone you are apply the phones RF directly to your brain, about as close as you can get without opening up your head itself. No other signals have such close proximity to your most vital organ. Consider also that the brain is an extremely sensitive organ which relies on the conduction of electrical signals to function. Alter these signals and you alter brain function. The location is also critical. Placing the phone at your ear is level with the temporal lobe of the brain. Within the temporal lobe is the hippocampus, an area which is critical for the formation of memory. Again disruption of this area can and often does cause memory impairment, so it would seem logical that applying a long term RF to this region could also impair functioning. We don't know for sure but honestly I wouldn't be surprised.

 

To discount the possibility of long term harm until research proves otherwise is silly. To wait until you have a tumour growing in your temporal lobe before you act could very well be a fatal decision. No one is talking about drastic action to ban phones or something like that. In my opinion, the simple act of being aware of the possibility would be enough. By being aware you might think twice before spending hours on a mobile instead of a landline, or you might choose to use the speaker phone or even send a text instead.

 

P.s. Very interesting topic, thanks for posting.

I agree with everything Xaboo stated. I try to use the speaker phone or my headphones with my phone whenever possible, or just text or email or facebook the person (iphone 4 ) these are very good short term solutions.

 

long term solutions i guess would be similar set-up (headphones + mic) only with wifi

 

^

 

reason for this, it has been reported people growing tumours in their legs near their pocket (mobile phone send/receive info while idle in pocket), if this used wifi internet it should also cut down potential hazards.

I was talking to my physics teacher about this, and he said that physically, mobile phones and wireless devices just don't have enough power to cause damage. The position on the bandwidth isn't right for it to damage tissue (theoretically).

 

However he said, that there could more stuff we don't know about.

When people mention that the brain runs on electrical signals and that RF can interfere with that shows a huge misunderstanding in both the concepts of EM radiation and how the brain works (which is by via nuerotransmitters, not via EM radiation or electricity)

 

The frequency range at which mobile phones operate are well, well beyond any range that organic tissue, DNA,etc could easily absorb. If it could, all the EM radiation that is all over the place in our modern world would be constantly cooking us alive. There is a reason why you need large antennae made of steel to be able to receive signals

 

Yes its still possible for very small amounts of RF to be absorbed in the body due to various effects, this is why there is a legal limit (stated in OP) which is backed by scientific study.

 

If your body was damaged due to slight increases in temperature, then we should all avoid stepping into hot showers, or going outside into the sun, or running our hands under warm water,etc. There is currently no scientific evidence to show that this can causes any damage.

 

Also, whoever wrote that thing about using WIFI clearly does not understand how mobile phones actually work. Even if you are on some kind of WIFI enabled mobile phone, you are still going to be putting it near your body to send and receive signals in exactly the same way as you would over the current mobile phone network. They say "but the drop off in power over distance is fast, following the inverse-square law" which applies to ALL EM radiation, not just the frequency that WIFI runs on (so that exactly same principle applies to current mobile phone towers)

 

Also Id like to see the a peer-reviewed scientific study that showed people were "growing tumours in their legs" due to mobile phones. Because I could not find such a thing.

WHO- world health organisation.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/cell-phones-cause-cancer-2011-5

 

Look shadow, I understand what you are talking about but try to look more deeply into what you are saying before you post it.

 

yes, mobile phone signals do have a similar "fall off" but would still need a lot less output to connect to a wifi access point 15m away compared to 3km away.

 

Please read other peoples comments before posting rebuttle aswell.

 

 

If your body was damaged due to slight increases in temperature, then we should all avoid stepping into hot showers, or going outside into the sun

 

No one here stated that temperature was a problem, merely a side effect of talking on your phone for awhile.

 

 

ll the EM radiation that is all over the place in our modern world would be constantly cooking us alive.

 

How often do you hold your microwave next to your temple?

When people mention that the brain runs on electrical signals and that RF can interfere with that shows a huge misunderstanding in both the concepts of EM radiation and how the brain works (which is by via nuerotransmitters, not via EM radiation or electricity)

 

Yes the brain functions using neurotransmitters. What causes the release of those neurotransmitters though?

 

Action potentials that run along an axon until the synapse at which point if the charge is strong enough there will be a release of the neurotransmitter. An action potential is essentially a change in the electrical charge of the axon membrane due to the exchange of ions. This is an eletrophysiological process.

This is why you can stimulate neurons with an electrical probe (eg deep brain stimulation) to induce them to fire. This is why transcranial magnetic stimulation works because the application of a pulse can stimulate or inhibit neurons from firing.

And this is also why you get an image such as the one below when you place a receptor on ones head and amplify it a few thousand times:

 

http://www.youcanstaysharp.com/fileadmin/user_upload/eeg_traces.gif

 

 

If your body was damaged due to slight increases in temperature, then we should all avoid stepping into hot showers, or going outside into the sun, or running our hands under warm water,etc. There is currently no scientific evidence to show that this can causes any damage.

 

Sorry but this is wrong. What happens if our internal body temperature changes by only a few degrees (say from 37 to 44 degrees)? You die. A temperature of 41 degrees in humans is considered a medical emergency. We are extremely sensitive to changes in our internal body temperature. The only reason nothing happens when we take a hot shower is because our bodies can regulate the internal state (homeostasis).

You die. A temperature of 41 degrees in humans is considered a medical emergency.

 

I got a temperature of 40.7 once, got hot, got cold, shirt off, threw up, problem solved.

Ummm, if you actually read the report, and not the news article:

 

"Results

The evidence was reviewed critically, and overall evaluated as being limited

2 among users of wireless telephones for glioma and acoustic neuroma, and inadequate 3 to draw conclusions for other types of cancers. The evidence from the occupational and environmental exposures

mentioned above was similarly judged inadequate."

 

You can go to the end of that report to see their exact definitions of 'limited' and 'inadequate'.

 

Yes, they 'may' cause cancer, but no-one has yet proven it. Sensationalist news articles always like to take the 'may' and imply that it does. Thats not how science works. Also if they do have an effect, whether this is actually a significant carcinogenic effect compared to say, the background levels of radiation (from EM source or radioactive) or second-hand smoke, household chemicals, etc will have to be determined.

 

I'm not saying that they _could not_ possibly have any detrimental effects, they well may, but it annoys me when news articles sensationalise science and misunderstand the findings of a report.

 

To respond to specific points:

 

1. Since when is there a WIFI hotspot within 15 m of you at all times? Also, WiFI routers/devices can actually have comparable power output levels to mobile phones.

 

How often do you hold your microwave next to your temple?

 

2. Mobile phones don't use microwave radiation. If it did then the water in your brain/hand would be boil. Thats why you don't stick your head inside a microwave oven and turn it on. Microwaves are absorbed by a specific water vibration which increases their vibrational energy and then increases their temperature through nonradiative processes.

 

3. Those action potentials need to be accessed by a direct electrical probe, and require a much larger amount of power relative to the RF energy of mobile phones. Transcranial magnetic stimulation uses rapidly changing magnetic fields to induce an electrical current (this is easily found on wiki). Purely magnetic fields are not the same is EM fields btw. If mobile phones were powerful enough to induce similar types of induced currents then I would be worried

 

4. Of course if your entire body temperature increases or decreses by a large amount you are in trouble (<=32 degrees or =>41 degrees are what are actually considered medical emergencies) but small increases in localised parts of the body are easily managed by our temperature regulating systems. Why not alittle bit heat from a mobile phone?

Also microwaves are shielded so that none can 'leak' out and harm anyone standing near them. Having it next to your head would theoretically do no more damage than standing 5m away from it.