10 Practical Tips To Keep Your Cellphone From Killing You
Have you heard, cellphones are deadly. Science told us so this week when Dr. Ronald B. Herberman of the esteemed University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute realized that cellphones emit death rays that fry your brain and turn you into a baby-eating Communist, or give you cancer or whatever. Dr. Despair isn't a downer though! Inside, 10 practical ways to keep your precious little brain safe from those ubiquitous chirping cancer slabs...
1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.
2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a hands-free ear piece attachment may also reduce exposures.
3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone's electromagnetic fields.
4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.
5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from your rather than through you.
6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes, as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure. For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones.
7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure.
8. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.
9. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, limiting the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body.
10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body). SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.
Of course, science doesn't actually know for certain whether cellphones are safe or whether they cause debilitating brain tumors. "Further research is needed" is a common refrain, though this is the sort of thing that will work itself out over the next decade as more, um, tumors data become available.
Important Precautionary Advice Regarding Cell Phone Use [University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute via firedoglake] (Thanks to Shaula!)
(Photo: Getty)
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Comments:
Wow.....Consumerist spreading FUD now? Seriously, pretty much every electronic device emits something that is killing us, yet our mortality rate continues to rise. In the US, I doubt it is because of our wonderful healthcare system. Yes....I was being sarcastic there.
Hmm. They'll take away my jalapenos but won't take away my cell, that's weird.
Didn't know that a cordless phone emits the same stuff as a cell. I thought I was being smart. Time to go get a corded phone.
"It is not a tumah!"
They forgot #11..... Foil Beanies.
@CaptZ: I don't know, the intro paragraph was pretty much dripping with sarcasm.
All this mobile phone FUD is a little much, if you ask me. If we're going to get all worked up about carcinogens, what about that big yellow ball in the sky! Ban the sun! It causes cancer!
Realistically how many americans are going to follow this advice? If you answered "less than 1%" congratulations, you win this week's prize.
These are some of the most unrealistic guidelines for cell phone use I've ever seen. You know because there's NEVER any possibility of your phone shifting in a pocket.
Uh, This stuff about cell phones being dangerous is total FUD. Do some actual research on the study (scienceblogs.com has a number of blog posts by actual scientists about this issue) before you post hysterical woo.
First off the Pittsburgh study is probably poppycock. Everytime this comes up, 10 further studies come back not found or inconclusive. I wonder if UofP has a grant pending??
Look I have gone thru an MRI twice a year for the last 5 years. The amount of exposure I get by that machine is 10000x higher than all the cell phone exposure I will face in my lifetime. No tumors folks.
I've always been a strong believer that cell phones cause cancer and its nice every once in awhile to see an article that doesn't make me look crazy.
Even though the above isn't 100% proven, here's a fact that is: Cell Phones, if left on at night, can reduce the amount/quality of sleep that a nearby person has. It was done in a study. Look it up.
I recall doing some testing in a class, where we looked at cellphone usage and potential consequences.
The frequency they transmit, and the electric field, is not powerful enough to penetrate bone, and such, it can't do a thing to cause cancer or whatever other danger people worry about, as the waves cannot reach your brain or organs. It's simply not possible, when you look at the numbers. It's the definition of FUD.
Course, it is possible we fudged something up, so if someone can provide me hard numbers (not some study) proving the opposite , that would be appreciated.
fear mongering
NPR covered this release by interviewing the person who okay'd the statement to be made. I encourage everyone to check it out on www.npr.org because it pretty much stated that initial research leads us to believe these conclusions will be valid but the breadth of testing required is extensive so here is some advice.
It's good advice, but there is still more research to be done.
What about all the other electromagnetic signals that are bouncing through everyone's head all the time? Those are just as "intense" and constant. This dude is just looking for his 15 minutes using information that was being thrown around when phones started becoming popular.
These people know microwave ovens put out more signal that a phone, right?
And that signals are transmitted in 360 degrees.
I highly doubt anyone from the University of Pittsburgh can even read.
I'd rather live another 50 years with my awesome cell phone than another 60 years barely using that heavenly gift.
If I spend all my time watching YouTube videos on my iPhone, does that mean I'm going to die soon? If so, I should make the best of what little time I have left and get the new G3 iPhone, at the very least.
fuck it. i smoke, i drink, i have sex with random girls. im not gonna worry about my "cell phone killing me".
1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.
Wow, in utero cellphone usage? I didn't know that kids start clamoring for cell phones even before they're born.
3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone's electromagnetic fields.
No one wants to be exposed to your loud, one sided conversation either. I don't know anything about cancer rates, but people limiting their phone use in public would improve society in much more immediate ways. I fully endorse numbers 3,6, 8 and 9, regardless of potential death rays or whatever.
yeah - but in the future when someone gets sick from a cell phone Consumerist will be whining and bitching about how horrible it is that no one warned us not to pass electromagnetic waves through our heads
These sort of things never impress me. Jumping the gun and announcing to the world that tomatoes are... I mean cell phones are killing us but you've not done enough research to know for sure is just idiotic and serves only to create FUD.
Unless you glue the thing to your head and have to carry extra batteries because you use it up before you are done talking. I don't think you've much to worry about.
@Michael Belisle: ... exactly
What's a pregnant woman supposed to do? Wear her cell phone at the hip with a headset (Rule 2) or use the phone like a normal person (Rule 1).
It's frustrating, since several of the rules indicate a profound ignorance of modern cell phone systems, while others are good advice for reasons differing from Dr. Herberman's. For example Rule 8:
Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.
You're probably more likely to die from cell phone related auto accidents than any cell phone induced brain tumors.
I wouldn't trust an engineer to do a doctor's job, so why am I trusting this doctor's advice on what's safe over an engineer's.
As long as it doesn't infect my junk, I'm good.
thelushie: Didn't know that a cordless phone emits the same stuff as a cell. I thought I was being smart. Time to go get a corded phone.
With a corded phone, you can get zapped by lightning.
@MyCokesBiggerThanYours: "gets sick from a cell phone"
And exactly how is that going to be diagnosed? Do the cancerous cells look like little cell phones?
@cjdmi: What's a pregnant woman supposed to do? Wear her cell phone at the hip with a headset?
Remember to put your phone in Airplane mode before using the new iPhone ultrasound app, now available for $9.99 in the App Store. It uses a technology not unlike that used in a recent documentary, The Dark Knight.
I wonder when the portable and ultra-light weight lead suits are going on sale to counter all the radiation we are all supposed to be getting from cell phones. Of course, if they don't work, then we will hear about it on Consumerist. Everyone Wins!
Cheers!
@cjdmi:
I wouldn't trust an engineer to do a doctor's job, so why am I trusting this doctor's advice on what's safe over an engineer's.
AMEN!
I'm hoping that Carey is writing for The Onion on the side and accidently posted this here.
As was pointed out to me elsewhere energy is directly proportional to frequency, but the lower the frequency (which is where the cell phones and bluetooth headsets are) the lower the energy. They don't break the threshold of damaging, ionizing radiation. (which reminds me, radiation is not equal to dangerous, people.)
@LostAngeles: I'm sorry, but you're incorrect. 1.8Ghz and 1.9Ghz ARE in the microwave range. And although cellphones have low power (.6 watts), the farther you are from the cell tower, the more power the phone needs to use to compensate. No one knows the long-term exposure, how some are affected and others not, etc.
FUD or not, please be responsible.
How about the NUMBER ONE safety tip: don't use your damn cellphone when driving a car. For the life of me, I cannot fathom the love affair people have with their cellphones. Hang up and drive.
You forgot the only method that gives 100% protection: Abstinence!
I have a question, you savvy consumerist commenters--
we know that now cell phones can cause cancer... but what about laptops? i am on my macbook at least 7-10 hours a day, and sleep with it next to me on the bedside (so i can work in bed). is this hazardous?
thanks!
Just when I thought the whole cell phone/wifi/microwave oven/power lines will kill you FUD was over it comes back. Please people. Radio waves and microwaves are non-ionizing radiation. They don't have enough energy per photon to damage DNA and cause cancer. All they can do is warm things up.
Although the thought of idiots walking around with tinfoil around their heads and blabbing on a cell phones does make me laugh.
No, no, no. It's only cheap cellphones that are a problem. You need a new, expensive cellphone to avoid problems. And a more expensive plan, because pre-purchased and rollover 'minutes' are possibly bad for you.
Breathing is bad for you as well. So is eating and drinking.
Why no studies on car exhaust and factory emissions (but OMFG second-hand smoke!)?
Cordless home phones don't put out nearly as much power as cellphones, as they only need to function relatively close to the base (~100 feet or so) vs. the miles from a tower a cellphone may need to cover. At the least, the worry over the cordless phones seems overblown.
Use your speakerphone in a public place and I may kill you before your cellphone does the job.
@dhmosquito: Amen. People freak out over a theoretical risk (which I think is largely negligible) but concretely and drastically increase their chances of dying by gabbing while driving.
I guess that's nothing new though...people always worry about cancer and still line up at the McDonald's counter and give themselves heart attacks.
@thelushie:
A cordless phone has a shorter range, and presumably emits far fewer electromagnetic fields.
@ds143:
There are no studies linking laptops to cancer (yet), but there ARE studies linking them to male sterility when used as a "laptop" rather than being used on a table or a lap-desk. The amount of heat generated is apparently very bad for the male swim-team.
At the post in general, I vehemently disagree with ANY advice that encourages more text-messaging. America's grammar skills are already bad enough!
Has anyone bothered to check this guys ties to the Blue Tooth industry? This is not the first time this scare gone around. Remember the viral popcorn video.
I heard him interviewed on the radio. He was distinctly unscientific. I can remember the quote exactly. It was something like; all the data isn't in yet but we can't wait for it.
In science you wait for the data before making pronouncements.
5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from your rather than through you.I am a physicist and if any of my students said this, I would force them to take E&M I again.
What a maroon.
This article actually serves to illustrate one of the finer purposes of the Consumerist; namely, providing a PSA-type service to consumers regarding research in an area that directly relates to a consumer product. Bravo, Consumerist.