According to some neurologists and researchers, society should be asking itself this question every time they answer a call or hold a cell phone up to their head. Nowadays, cell phones are becoming an essential tool for modern life, whether it is the businessperson whose phone keeps him connected to his office and clients or the teenager who has a cell phone for recreational purposes. Cell phones present their users with the opportunity to contact their family and friends and provide faster contact in the event of an emergency. Aside from that, women also feel safer carrying a cell phone while traveling alone in order to avoid an assault or rape. Although the cell phone presents itself as being helpful in these different circumstances, could it be a silent killer?
In 1984, society would begin its technological evolution with the first cell phone being released to the public. They used to weigh over two pounds, cost thousands of dollars and have a battery life of an hour. Since then, it has only been good news for the cellular industry. That original two pound phone has now evolved into weighing four ounces, costing $99, having up to ten hours of battery life, having the capability of texting as well as calling nationally and internationally, taking and recording images (and sounds), and even browsing the web. With the decrease in cost and all the added benefits, more and more people each year purchase a cell phone. Right now it is estimated that approximately “five billion people worldwide have a cell phone subscription” (CNET Reviews). The drastic increase of cell phones has caused scientists to become more and more worried of the long-term consequences the phone might cause towards people’s health. Cell phones emit a type of electromagnetic radiation called radio-frequency radiation (RFR). Whether or not this radiation could be potentially hazardous to its user’s health has been and still is, heavily under research.
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