Technology is a something that has been constantly evolving over the course of our history. Technology is able to help humans learn and progress to create a world that is better connected. The cell phone is a tool that enables us to be connected with society on a personal and global level. In the past 20 years, cell phone use has rapidly increased. Currently 4.7 billion people in the world use a cell phone and this number is expected to continue rising. However, with all of the positive outcomes that technology is able to provide, there are some downsides. What if the large majority of the people in our society that are cell phone users are putting themselves at harm by using their devices? Cell phones could have a profound negative effect on our population as a whole. Studies conducted over the past decade or so have found both positive and negative correlations between cell phone use and the side effects they present. I believe that if the possibility of negative health effects caused by cell phones is even a question, it is something that needs to be researched further. As members of a technology reliant society, we must do whatever we can to protect our health and safety when it comes to our devices. In order to protect members of our technology savvy society, we must further test the possible effects that cell phone radiation could have on humans. 

What is radiation? What kind of negative sides effects could it have? These are the questions flowing through the minds of researchers not only in the United States, but globally as well. Cell phones release radio frequency. This radio frequency is a form of electromagnetic radiation (Cancer.gov). What we know is “Electromagnetic radiation is defined according to its wavelength and frequency, which is the number of cycles of a wave that pass a reference point per second” (Cancer.gov). As a cell phone is on, the radiation waves are being passed through the air. This passing is silent, you are unable to hear or see the silent passing of frequency waves. As these waves are passed, heat is being released to our bodies. The parts of the body that are being touched directly by the cell phone such as ears and hands have shown a heat increase while being touched by a cell phone. However, this heat increase has not shown significant changes to the body thus far. How can we know for sure though? The cell phone is a relatively new device and millennials are the first generation to fully integrate this technology into their daily lives. What if twenty to thirty years from now these cell phone users start developing life threatening illnesses because of their exposure? Studies may not have found a significant negative outcome from the heat released in cell phones yet, but research needs to continue. False hope is something that is not good enough for our cell phone reliant society. 

 One of the most troubling parts of the cell phone radiation debate is the fact that studies have been released saying that radiation poses no threat to humans. By saying this, the general public is given a false sense of security. This is the case for two studies released in December, 2001. One of the studies looked into human exposure to cell phone radiation between 1994-1998. The problem is that researchers measured the amount of time a user typically spent on the cell phone by asking them in an interview. Word of mouth is not a very accurate way to find data. The people being researched many not be able to provide the most accurate answers and their memory is not reliable in this case. Another flaw is that the type of cell phones being used during this time period varied greatly from those that are used now. Subjects in this study were introduced to the cell phone quite recently, and their results varied greatly from cell phone users now. This is a prime example of the main problem researchers are having to this day. Cell phones are a relatively new invention, and the health consequences they may cause are not clear yet. The other study release in 2001 explained the results of a study done in Denmark. Sue Kovach shed a light on the possible risks that are often thrown on the backburner when it comes to safety and cell phone use. The Danish study in 2006 provided evidence suggesting that cell phones are completely safe for users. The problem is that the data being presented is not reliable. Dr. George Carlo explains that the study was “observational in nature instead of experimental” which means that “none of those studies can prove safety” (Science.com). When the Denmark study was released some other flaws were found with the results. A negative correlation was found between cell phone usage and cancer, the negative correlation between radiation and cell phone users could be due to the lack of differentiation between who was defined as a cell phone user, and who was not. The study concluded that a user could be defined as someone who made one or more calls per week. The researchers were measuring this usage based on oral response from users. This is a very unreliable way to collect data. Not only were the requirements broad, but the cell phones the users had were outdated. The cell phones were older technology, not resembling the advanced cell phones that are available today. Cell phones used today are more advanced and offer more features, which means they take more power and energy to run efficiently. Another inconsistency is that Denmark has one of the highest cancer rates in the world (Sue Kovack), however, the study claims that there was a low risk of cancer in general for the people of Denmark. How can the risk of cancer be low if Denmark clearly has a high rate of cancer amongst its population? This validates that the data found in the Denmark study had to be falsified or incorrectly presented to the public. 

The main problem is that research on cell phone radiation is very limited. In the past decade cell phone usage has almost doubled. With this sudden increase of cell phone use, the collection of long term data is close to nothing. In time more studies will surface, and more data will be found providing more definitive answers for the public. Data on how this radiation can affect people in the long term is not well quantified at this time either. For this reason, we cannot be certain that the cell phone is a safe device to use regularly. As research continues to be done on cell phone radiation, it is important to remain neutral and not believe safety is definitive.

 In 2016 scientists started re-testing the potential danger of cell phone radiation using lab rats. They were attempting to expose the rats to levels of radiation close to what humans experience on a daily basis while exposed to cell phones. In the study “the rats were exposed to three different exposure levels (1.5, 3 and 6 W/Kg, whole body exposures) and two different types of cell phone radiation, GSM and CDMA” (Microwave News). The result of this study discovered that the rats that were exposed to a higher level of radiation had an increased risk of developing cancer. The two types of cancer the rats more commonly developed were glioma and malignant schwannoma of the heart. Between 2% and 3% of the male rats exposed developed brain tumors. Similarly, 2% and 7% of the males developed heart tumors (Microwave News). The rats not exposed to any radiation, this being the placebo group, did not develop either of these tumors. This correlation between exposure and cancer development is unambiguous. The question is, does this study of the development in cancer amongst rats relate to development levels for humans? This is a question that many researchers are trying to find an answer to. The presumption was that if cancer developed in rats after exposure, the danger could be possible in humans as well. After the results were found Christopher Portier, a consultant scientist, concluded that “the relationship between radiation exposure and cancer is clear” and they are more than just “associated” with one another (Dina Fine Maron “Major Cell Phone Radiation Study Reignites Cancer Questions). This study proved that cell phone radiation does show significant side effects for our health, and that this topic needs to be researched further.

 The human body is a complex structure. As humans, we are exposed to levels of radiation on a daily basis without even being aware of it. We are exposed to radiation when we get x-rays, microwave our food, even by eating a banana. Of course this radiation that is being released is at different levels, some more harmful than others. This was quite evident after the events of April 26, 1986. This was a day remembered for the nuclear catastrophe that occurred in Ukraine. Substantial radiation was released from a radiation plant. This radiation was spread throughout the area at a fast rate. In a study published on Cambridge.org, the mental health of workers that cleaned up Chernobyl were reported. The results yielded an workers had increase in a variety of mental health disorders including depression, post-traumatic stress and severe headaches. These results were found sixteen years after the subjects experienced the radiation exposure at Chernobyl. The results were significant when compared to the general public. For example, 18% of workers suffered from depression vs. 13.1% in non-exposed individuals; headaches: 69.2% for workers vs. 12.4% of non-exposed individuals. (Cambridge.org). This study verified that those exposed to the high levels of radiation at Chernobyl had strong mental and physical side effects following their exposure. The radiation had negative health effects for them even over a decade after the exposure occurred. This not only points to the danger of cell phone radiation, but it also sheds a light on the type of damage that may occur after exposure. 

Side effects do not end with mental health, however. Long term exposure can also have some downsides. Using a cell phone for long durations of time can cause problems such as headaches, anxiousness, lack of sleep, and social isolation. These are issues that can be avoided by reducing the amount of time using a cell phone. Instead of checking social media before bed, a person could read a book. Rather than posting a photo on Instagram, you could call a friend and hang out in person. There are many easy ways to limit your time on the phone. By making small changes a user can see positive benefits in their mental and physical health. If a short time period of exposure during the clean-up of Chernobyl or everyday use of a cell phone had this strong of an effect on humans, what possible damage could constant cell phone exposure create? 

  Despite the sense of hope that some researchers have given to the public, the downsides of cell phone radiation are still a real threat. Long term data may be currently limited, but the studies conducted thus far show progression in this field of study. In 2011 The World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer deemed radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as “possible carcinogenic to humans” (International Agency for Research on Cancer). This means that our cell phones may have negative side effects on our health. The phrase “possible carcinogenic” is used because many scientists and doctors want more information in order to be certain. Dr. John Samet of the University of Southern California believes that “the evidence, while still accumulating, is strong enough to support a conclusion” (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Based on the set of requirements to be seen as a possible carcinogenic item, radiation must show evidence in multiple studies of a correlation between the exposure level and the resulted outcome. For cell phone radiation to make this list of possible carcinogenic items, it clearly poses an eminent threat to our health. For this reason, more research needs to be done in order to find an answer and to protect the general population from harm. 

Everyone experiences fear at some point in their lives.  Fear can control a person’s emotional and physical being and cause monumental damage. Users should not have to feel fear when the thought of negative consequences stemming from cell phone use is brought up. It is important to be a smart user and protect your body from potential harm. That being said, measures to ensure cell phone safety should not be life altering at this point in time. Small changes can be made that will help cell phone users reduce their exposure to radiation waves. For example, not sleeping next to your cell phone will reduce exposure. If that is too difficult try putting your phone in airplane mode while you are sleeping. While the phone is in airplane mode in can still be used as an alarm clock, but is not emitting radiation waves. Another change is to use the hands-free mode while talking on the phone, or the Bluetooth setting while talking and driving. This will not allow your body to receive heat exposure from the phone. These changes are small, and not life-changing. By using these tips, you can quickly reduce your exposure to radiation on a daily basis. While cell phone users try to limit their exposure, researchers need to be conducting more studies in this field. The studies conducted need to include human subjects as well as lab rats. If lab rats are the only subjects being tested on, we cannot be fully sure that the results are similar for humans. For this reason, humans will need to be part of future studies. Researchers are not the only ones that will have to play a part in the reform process. Cell phone companies will need to start making consumers more aware of how their products work. Providers need to start being held accountable for the possible side effects their products may have. In order to do this, providers must start explaining ways for consumers to limit their radiation exposure and explain the threat of radiation exposure through their product. Consumers have a right to know what risks they are being exposed to by using a product. The cell phone may be a very common tool, but the possible risks that come along with using it need to be more apparent to consumers.  

Technology continues to progress our society and create new opportunities to learn and grow. Despite the many positive factors that technology like the cell phone provide for us, there are definite downsides as well. The cell phone has become a device relied on by the large portion of our consumer-driven society. The possibility of negative health effects caused by the cell phone is a serious concern. If these side effects do exist, many people would be damaged by the outcome. For this reason, I believe more testing needs to be done in this field and research should no stop until a reliable conclusion is made. While more testing is being done, users have to make small changes in order to protect themselves. These changes include limiting their cell phone use, using the airplane mode setting, and using hands free settings.  Putting the general public at risk by something that they use daily is wrong, and answers need to be found. 
