How Safe are Cell Phones?
Cell phones are almost as common as pocket change these days. It seems nearly everyone, including an increasing number of children, carries a cell phone wherever they go. Cell phones are now so popular and convenient that they are surpassing landlines as the primary form of telecommunication for many people. Is Growing Cell-Phone Use Increasing Health Risks? In 2008, for the first time, Americans are expected to spend more on cell phones than on landlines, according to the U.S. Labor Department. And we not only love our cell phones, we use them: Americans racked up more than a trillion cell-phone minutes in the first half of 2007 alone. Yet, as cell-phone use continues to grow, so does concern about the possible health risks of prolonged exposure to cell-phone radiation. Do Cell Phones Cause Cancer? Wireless cell phones transmit signals via radio frequency (RF), the same kind of low-frequency radiation used in microwave ovens and AM/FM radios. Scientists have known for years that large
