© The News
As popular as the cell phone has become in modern life, the issues surrounding cell phone radiation have always been controversial. While it has been proven true that electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones can pose a health threat to human brains, many people choose to ignore this fact for the sake of personal convenience.
Last week, National Public Radio - or NPR - broadcasted a story on this very topic and the opinions reported there turn out to be fairly universal. Dr. Dan Wartenberg, a professor at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, is one of the many scientists who is currently studying this issue. According to Dr. Wartenberg, it is still very complicated to design a procedure for testing the harm of cell phone radiation that can produce any conclusive evidence. However, the results they have been able to collect do suggest that radiation emitted by cell phones can be harmful: "It is better to be safe than sorry."
There is a good deal of information that many scientists agree upon, however. The fact that electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones is a carcinogen is agreed upon. The amount of damage caused is not a consistent result, however, due to the complexity of the experiments. What is known is that the transmitting and receiving of these waves is done right next to the ear and close to your body. When we make phone calls, these waves only have to penetrate through a thin layer of skull before harming the vital and sensitive brain tissue. Dr. Wartenberg said that there is no way of avoiding the harms of cell phones unless you completely abstain from using them, which would prove to be a considerable challenge, keeping in mind how interwoven our cell phones have become into our every-day lives. There are ways of preventing your chances of radiation damage. Your risk is directly correlated to your total amount of exposure with these harmful waves. It is recommended that you do not keep your cell phone on you. As the source of radiation moves away from you, the strength of these waves decreases dramatically because it is not linear. Even putting your cell phone on your desk a foot or two away will decrease your exposure by an impressive amount. Taking advantage of the speakerphone feature on the cell phone is also advised. In addition, investing in a non-Bluetooth headset will decrease your exposure. Taking these precautions is strongly recommended for the benefit of your health in the future.
Dr. Wartenberg also mentions that students are more at risk because early exposure might lead to future health risks because the cells of adolescents are still growing, while in adults cellular growth has predominantly slowed. The danger lies in that cells mutated by electromagnetic radiation are able to multiply much more quickly than those of an adult. With this alarming information coming in from many news stations around the world, the opinions of students at Choate vary severely.
After talking with a wide variety of students, their views vary greatly. Students like Jerry Joo '13 said that this research is something that should not be taken lightly. The research, though not completely conclusive, presents serious issues. The precautions given should also be followed to the best of everyone's ability. However, there were also students who denied the need to follow these precautions. "These reports are constantly coming out and then forgotten. What's the point? If you think about it this way, then everything causes cancer," says a Choate student who has chosen to remain anonymous.
Despite the mixed views on this issue at Choate, the reality is that the research is being done, and results are gradually building up. By the time we know true and decisive results, it may be too late to change. Even though cell phone habits are almost impossible to fix now, chances are that they will be even harder in the future. If people can take steps of precaution now and stay safe, they may not have to be sorry in the future.
Comment: This is written by a 13 year old. There is hope still!