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Are You Sure You Want to Pick That Up?

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Are You Sure You Want to Pick That Up?
Are You Sure You Want to Pick That Up?

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.



Cited: Adams, Glenn. "Maine to Consider Cell Phone Cancer Warning." The Seattle Times 20 Dec. 2009, sec. Health: 1. Print. " BBC News | Health | Mobile phone cancer study 'flawed '." BBC News - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2010. . Cell Phone Health Warning [Video]. (2010). Retrieved October 13, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?y=pxAipWWgc3s. "Cell phone radiation danger: true or false? | Fran Moreland Johns Blog." Fran Moreland Johns Blog | A placeholder for "Boomers & Beyond". N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. . “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk – National Cancer Institute.” National Cancer Institute – Comprehensive Cancer Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2010. . "Evolution of the Cell Phone - PCWorld." Reviews and News on Tech Products, Software and Downloads - PCWorld. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. . Inskip, Peter D., Robert N. Hoover, and Susan S. Devesa. "Brain cancer incidence in relation to cellular telephone use in the United States." Nuero-Oncology 12 (2010): 1147-1151. Print. O 'Callaghan, Tiffany. "New research on cell phones and brain tumors." Time Healthland 4 Dec. 2009: n. pag. Time Healthland. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. Parker-Pope, Tara. “Experts Revive Debate Over Cell Phones and Cancer.” New York Times [New York City]. 3 June 2008, sec. Health: 1-2. http://www.nytimes.com. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. Shermer, Michael. "Can You Hear Me Now?." Scientific American 303.4 (2010): 98. Ebscohost. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Stross, Randall . "Should You Be Snuggling With Your Cell Phone." New York Times 13 Nov. 2010: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. "Swedish Study Finds Cell Phone-Brain Tumor Link." ConsumerAffairs.com: Knowledge is Power! Consumer news, reviews, complaints, resources, safety recalls. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. . Walsh, Bryan. "Cell Phones and Cancer: A Study 's Muddled Findings." time May. - Jun. 2010: n. page. Time. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. Whitney, Lance. "Cell phone subscriptions to hit 5 billion globally | 3GSM blog - CNET Reviews." Product reviews - Electronics reviews, computer reviews & more - CNET Reviews. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. .

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