With the rise of smartphones and how they’ve become almost a part of our bodies, so many amazing technological advances have been made. However, this also means that some concerns have been raised.
Cellphones in general have had people concerned about radiation, which they all emit, in order to connect to cell towers. However, some people have taken those concerns quite far, ignoring statistics and data, and looking towards fear-mongering, having people worried they’re going to develop cancer due to their phone’s radiation. While it’s a valid concern, it’s crucial to listen to experts, which is why we’ve compiled information from trusted sources to determine whether or not your smartphone’s radiation is actually harmful. Read more about it below.
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What Kind Of Radiation Is Associated With Cellphones?
If you didn't know, every single cellphone emits some kind of radiation, which helps connect it to cell towers and function properly for phone calls and more. This form of radiation is known as nonionizing radiation, which is, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "a form of energy that acts by removing electrons from atoms and molecules of materials."
"These materials include air, water, and living tissue," they continue. "Ionizing radiation can travel unseen and pass through these materials." The CDC also notes that people experience low levels of nonionizing radiation every day, but when they experience "intense exposure," it can create health risks.
As smartphones have become an every day essential for millions of people around the world, people have becomed more concerned with how their radiation could affect their health and risk of developing diseases like cancer, due to the fact that they're used so often and usually making contact with one's body, like being held up to their faces, held in their hands, and kept in their pockets.
Is The Radiation Used For Smartphones Harmful To Our Health?
Because of the rise and popularity of cellphone usage, scientists and researchers have begun exploring this question to figure out whether the phones we are so reliant on are potentially hurting us.
The National Cancer Institute explored the question of whether or not using smartphones with their radiation is "harmful," and compiled information that should ease the minds of those paranoid that using their smartphone is surely going to give them cancer.
"Cell phones emit radiation in the radiofrequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum," they explain. "Second-, third-, and fourth-generation cell phones (2G, 3G, 4G) emit radiofrequency in the frequency range of 0.7–2.7 GHz. Fifth-generation (5G) cell phones are anticipated to use the frequency spectrum up to 80 GHz. These frequencies all fall in the nonionizing range of the spectrum, which is low frequency and low energy."
The institute, which uses the results of various studies, also noted that the radiation associated with cellphones is much less severe than the ionizing radiation associated with other systems like X-rays, for which we typically have to wear protective gear.
"The energy is too low to damage DNA. By contrast, ionizing radiation, which includes X-rays, radon, and cosmic rays, is high-frequency and high-energy," they continue. "Energy from ionizing radiation can damage DNA. DNA damage can cause changes to genes that may increase the risk of cancer."
If you still have concerns about the radiation from your smartphone, you can make small habit changes to reduce your overall exposure by using and holding it less frequently throughout the day and using headphones while on a phone call to reduce the contact between you and your device. But at the end of the day, medical research has shown that there isn't much to worry about.
