Can cell phone radiation really cause cancer?
Can cell phone radiation really cause cancer? It is a very controversial topic as many people think that cell phone radiation causes cancer. It is true that cell phones emit radiation but there are many types of radiation and all do not harm you. Read on to get further information
What is Radiation?
The word ‘radiation’ sounds scary, but in reality radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium.
Different Types of Radiation
There are different types of radiation like:
- electromagnetic radiation
- gravitational radiation
- particle radiation
- acoustic radiation
Radiation is often categorized as either ionizing or non-ionizing depending on the energy of the radiated particles. Ionizing radiation have enough energy to knock out an electron from an atom or molecule and this can break chemical bonds , damage the DNA inside of cells, which can result in cancer like X- rays and gamma rays .When radiation don’t have enough energy to knock out the electron or break the chemical bond it is called non ionizing like visible light, microwaves , infrared and radio waves.
Radiation Emitted by Cell Phones
The Cell phones emit radio frequency energy (radio waves), a form of electromagnetic radiation which is a non-ionizing radiation. Exposure to ionizing radiation, such as from x-rays, is known to increase the risk of cancer. However, although many studies have examined the potential health effects of non-ionizing radiation from radar, microwave ovens, cell phones, and other sources, there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk.
Does it really affect your health ?
The only consistently recognized biological effect of radio frequency energy is heating. The ability of microwave ovens to heat food is one example of this effect of radio frequency energy. Radio frequency exposure from cell phone can cause heating to the area of the body where a cell phone or other device is held (ear, head, etc.). If RF radiation is absorbed in large enough amounts by body, it can lead to burns and tissue damage. Although RF radiation does not cause cancer by damaging DNA in cells the way ionizing radiation does, there has been concern that some forms of non-ionizing radiation might have biological effects that could result in cancer in some circumstances.
