Mobile Phones: The New Tobacco

Everyone owns one, people can't live without one, yet they are slowly killing us day by day.

Just my 2cents.

Originally posted by phixion
Everyone owns one, people can't live without one, yet they are slowly killing us day by day.

Just my 2cents.

How are they slowly killing us? Care to elaborate a bit more on that?

electronics.howstuffworks.com...

Know what you mean there

I see people all the time who are constantly talking on their mobile phones, not just business either.
What angers me is all the people I see driving with the mobile phone to one ear, especially as there has been a ban on this in the UK for a couple of years now. I have even seen drivers holding the phone above the steering wheel typing in a text message

Ok, I do sometimes make or take calls in the car too but I have a cordless BlueTooth headset so I don't even need to take my attention from the driving, and I only do this if it is necessary.
I often wonder what some of these people did before mobile phones came along, or what would happen if you took the phone away for a while

People are becoming far too attached to their phones, I say this but I am highly addicted to my phone!

Anoher interesting read: www.rfsafe.com...

First I am going to begin with a quote from the link you gave:

The radio waves that send the encoded signal are made up of electromagnetic radiation propagated by the antenna. The function of an antenna in any radio transmitter is to launch the radio waves into space; in the case of cell phones, these waves are picked up by a receiver in the cell-phone tower.

Electromagnetic radiation is made up of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving at the speed of light, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). All electromagnetic energy falls somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum, which ranges from extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation to X-rays and gamma rays.

I emboldened the relavant part about the radiation. The fact is that cell phones DO emit a type of radiation, but it is not as bad as you might think. You absorb more radiation heating up that hot pocket in your microwaves than you absorb from your cell phone. Also, if yopu have a flip phone, the transmitter/reciever is not located right next to the ear piece. A flip phone also offers more shielding from the radiation that is emitted. So my advice to anyone who is really concerned about this is to get a flip phone. I have the Motorola V188. Good quality phone and you can get it for about 50$ with a plan.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
The fact is that cell phones DO emit a type of radiation, but it is not as bad as you might think.

Surely any type of radiation what so ever is a bad thing.

You absorb more radiation heating up that hot pocket in your microwaves than you absorb from your cell phone.

Yes but you don't put your head next to the microwave several times every day. The amount of phones around all being used all the time will surely multiply the dangers associated with using them.

Dont' phones give off radiation even when they are not in call? They are still transmitting and receiving a signal.

That is true there is more radiation released into the air when you use a microwave, but you don't stick the microwave next to your ear and use it for 15 minutes at a time.

Also, you have to watch out for them exploding on you. Especially Nokia's, every article I have come across about exploding cell phones has featured a Nokia product....sounds like a batch of bad batteries or maybe EMI malfunctioning a badly made switch or circuit.

Originally posted by Sport Kensington

Also, you have to watch out for them exploding on you. Especially Nokia's, every article I have come across about exploding cell phones has featured a Nokia product....sounds like a batch of bad batteries or maybe EMI malfunctioning a badly made switch or circuit.

Nokia released a large batch of bad batteries with three or four different cell phones. That is one of the reasons why I switched to a Motorola.

Phixion,

Radiation is harmful to the human body only at a certain frequency threshold. Any radiation over that threshold is damaging to soft tissue and bone. Any thing under the threshhold passes through our bodies without any damage. The frequency of this non threateneing type of radiation allows it to pass between the atoms of our bodies. Your bodies cellular structur is something like a sponge. The waves are able to pass through the holes in the sponge without affecting the sponge walls. Another interesting thing I have read is there is a small type of fruit fly that can survive inside a microwave because it is the right size to fit between the microwaves.

Kidfinger

Well you learn something new everyday

What do you make of this image though:



Will a cell phone affect a rat differently because of the size between their atoms?

Originally posted by phixion

Will a cell phone affect a rat differently because of the size between their atoms?

Good question. I honestly dont have an answer. All the studies I have read have regarded human brain and soft tissue. Where did you find that? I would enjoy a new read on this study.

The image is of a rats brain, and it shows that it has been affected by the cell phone. I just got the idea from your post because they rats brain may not have the space that we do and therefore be affected more by the radiation.

Originally posted by phixion
The image is of a rats brain, and it shows that it has been affected by the cell phone. I just got the idea from your post because they rats brain may not have the space that we do and therefore be affected more by the radiation.

Yeah, I understood that it was the brain of a rodent. I was curious about where the image came from. I would like to read the info about this there. Call it a thirst for knowledge

There you go: www.rfsafe.com...

Phixion,

I think they fried the rat brain to get those results.

(bottom), which were exposed to a 2-hour dose of cell phone radiation of varying intensities, are heavily spotted with proteins (dark patches) leaked from surrounding blood vessels, and show signs of significant neuronal damage.

The way I read it, it seems they used more than just your typical cellphone radiation freq to get those results. Im still on the fence about wether there is any real danger with cellphone use. I can see the distinct possibility. A transister burns out and causes a spike in transmitter radiation. Something of that nature, but transistors dont noprmally just burn out, so I really cant bring myself to think one way or the other.

I hate stupid Celphones. Only reason I need one is because of my business or for emergencies. Oh and I always use a headset with mine after reading all of the radiation dangers.

Lucky I don't own one

...always a topical subject for me, I try to stay off the cellphone as much as possible, a good link here, from the original:

Electromagnetic radiation is made up of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving at the speed of light, according to the FCC. All electromagnetic energy falls somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum, which ranges from extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation to X-rays and gamma rays. Later, you will learn how these levels of radiation affect biological tissue.

Potential Health Risks
In the late 1970s, concerns were raised that magnetic fields from power lines were causing leukemia in children. Subsequent epidemiological studies found no connection between cancer and power lines. A more recent health scare related to everyday technology is the potential for radiation damage caused by cell phones. Studies on the issue continue to contradict one another.

All cell phones emit some amount of electromagnetic radiation. Given the close proximity of the phone to the head, it is possible for the radiation to cause some sort of harm to the 118 million cell-phone users in the United States. What is being debated in the scientific and political arenas is just how much radiation is considered unsafe, and if there are any potential long-term effects of cell-phone radiation exposure.

There are two types of electromagnetic radiation:

* Ionizing radiation - This type of radiation contains enough electromagnetic energy to strip atoms and molecules from the tissue and alter chemical reactions in the body. Gamma rays and X-rays are two forms of ionizing radiation. We know they cause damage, which is why we wear a lead vest when X-rays are taken of our bodies.

* Non-ionizing radiation - Non-ionizing radiation is typically safe. It causes some heating effect, but usually not enough to cause any type of long-term damage to tissue. Radio-frequency energy, visible light and microwave radiation are considered non-ionizing.

On its Web site, the FDA states that "the available scientific evidence does not demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of mobile phones." However, that doesn't mean that the potential for harm doesn't exist. . .