How harmful is our Cellphones?

It's in your head, in your head, zombie zombie... (remember Cranberries?)

Every now and then, I get an email from a friend or my wife detailing horror tales of supposed harmful effects of cellphones on our brain, kidney, sex organs, and even a child. Such as this story:-

"This morning I heard a sad real story from my colleague. She told me one of her friend always miscarriage when the baby 2-3 months old for few times continuously in few years time. The couple went to check with many doctors and lastly one of the doctor check on the death baby and found out the baby's body cells keeping die when baby growing up until he/she cannot be survived.

This is because her uterus has been affected by HANDPHONE radiotion. The doctor told she has no chance to get baby no matter how because the radiotion affected her uterus which the major portion of her uterus cells already death, cannot carry healthy baby. All this because of she has been keeping her handphone in her working jacket which the position just right to the uterus position for few years time. Please beware and take note the consequences is not worth."

Usually people take heed to these warnings to play safe. But are these claims old-wives tales (Urban legends) or are they for real?

The best place to check whether some tales are true or not is Snopes.com. You will find many of the emails you received about dangers Coke, Margarine and some health warnings to be nothing more than jokes. Remember the one about not using your mobile phone in Petrol Station? Read this to know the truth.

Anyway, there is no article on the harmful effects of cellphones in Snopes - so I did some snooping around elsewhere. And found this two useful sites: Howstuffworks and CNet's Quick Guide on Radiation Levels.



Chart for the radiation levels of different devices.
OMG! Cellphone is a microwave!(I can hear my wife panicking)

All electromagnetic energy falls somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum, which ranges from extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation to X-rays and gamma rays. Read this article to know the levels of radiation affect biological tissue.

In short, after reading all this stuff and Wikipedia, the jury is still out on the question whether cellphones have any long term effects on our brain cells, kidney or sex organ. There is no conclusive proof that it is harmful to us.

All I know is that if you are one of those who keep buying a new cellphone every time a new model is out, then your brains must have been fried for sure.

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