Mobile phone radiation and health

For the last years the telephone has turned to a usual working tool that is used practically by everybody. That’s why the effect mobile phone radiation has on human health is the subject of recent interest and study.

The main question is whether the cellular telephone is so safe that we think.

The results of the inquiry carried out in 2010 (151 persons took part) about safety of cellular telephones showed the answers the question:

Do you consider the usage of a cellular telephone harmful to health?

· Yes- 39 % (60 persons)

· No- 32 % (49 persons)

· Harmful but I use the telephone not so often -27 % (42 persons)

There are some reasons why people think so. For example, part of the radio waves emitted by a mobile telephone handset is absorbed by the human head.

One well-understood effect of microwave radiation is dielectric heating, in which any dielectric material (such as living tissue) is heated by rotations of polar molecules induced by the electromagnetic field. In the case of a person using a cell phone, most of the heating effect will occur at the surface of the head, causing its temperature to increase by a fraction of a degree. But the brain's blood circulation is capable of disposing of excess heat by increasing local blood flow.

The International Journal of Epidemiology asserts that there is no increase in risk of cancer with use of mobile phones. But it is necessary to keep some rules:

· to limit the call time,

· to make calls where reception is good

· use hands-free to decrease the radiation to the head.

· keep the mobile phone away from the body.

· do not use telephone in a car without an external antenna.

As for the hands-free the British researchers proved that miniature earphones (hand's free) for cellular telephones are harmful. Many people use such earphones assuming that they reduce harmful effect of the antenna cellular telephone, but all turns out just on the contrary. As researches of the British association of customers have shown these devices operate as original antenna and the level of electric waves coming into brain of a user three times exceeds the level of a usual telephone in a handset.

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The research which has been carried out among 11.000 users of cellular communication by the order of Norwegian Radiation Protection Board, National Institute 'Working Life" (Sweden) found out the greater receptivity to influence of radiation for the young people. The research has shown that people who use the telephone less than 2 minutes per day complained on discomfort and outside effects. The problems with health increase if to use the telephone longer. Those who use the telephone about 30 minutes daily increase the probability loss of memory almost in 2 times in comparison with those who do it 2 minutes per day. Half of questioned users have signaled that at usage of cellular telephones they feel unpleasant warming up in the part of the head around the ear. The young people go through the greatest risk. Those who are under 30 fall under outside effects 3-4 times more often.

Summing up all above-stated it is necessary to mark that for today it is impossible to tell exactly if the usage of a cellular telephone is harmful or safe. The researches in the given area are carried out but their results are ambiguous.

3. Read the list given below. Which of the following would be considered acceptable normal behavior when using mobile phone?

1) It is not necessary to avoid calling when the signal is weak.

2) It is necessary to keep the mobile phone away from the body.

3) It is not harmful to use earplugs every day for hours.

4) It is harmful to carry an active mobile phone in a pocket or clipped to the belt.

5) It is not necessary, to use a hands-free set in the car.

6) You must turn off the phone whenever possible.