Something to be wary of

[ForresterModern]

As a radiologist I work with high powered magnetic fields and strong radio frequency waves (just like microwaves) as part of MR imaging on a daily basis. Our radio wave power emitter is a couple hundred times the power of that of a handheld cell phone, and we put patients whole bodies or body parts into the magnets all day long for sometimes up to a couple hours per patient. The concern with radio waves is that they are indeed energy and can theoretically deposit that energy in your body, generally as simple heat, and the closer your body part is to the emitter of the radio waves the more likely there is to be energy deposition of a greater degree. Male gonads prefer cool to hot environments for optimum function, so theoretically your friend is correct. We never have discovered any adverse effects to our high powered magnetic fields and high powered radio wave emitters now with nearly twenty years experience with the technology. Theoretically, there is a risk but practically it is negligible. Because the power of the cell phone is so low by comparison I would not fear "frying" your nads with your cell phone in your sporran, any more that I would fear frying your eyes or brain with your cell phone when you are talking into it while holding it by your ear.

[Nanook]

Theoretically, there is a risk but practically it is negligible.

Useful things can be dangerous. Most are. The evidence of potentially harmful effects of low level microwave radiation seems to move more and more towards the side of risk and away from the widely held belief that its harmless. The current state of knowledge increasingly shows that NMR scanning/MRI, despite wide spread belief to the contrary, is not harmless. Its point, however, as X-Ray Imaging (to which Marie Skłodowska–Curie would have vouched), is to find and diagnose things more risky than the risk posed by the test. NMR/MRI is in some of its more "useful" applications used with radioisotopes as PET/CT scanning.
Back to the issue of cell phones? Do cell phones pose risks? Statistically the risk at this stage seems to be lower than many other activities. I would not ignore it but I'd also not, at this time, elevate it (yet) to a highly probably risk.
Automobiles, on the other hand, DO pose big risks. Risks to health, environment as well as peace (oil). Nobody seems to talk about controlling.. them.. on the contrary.. now with the current economic crisis hitting the automotive industry many governments are exploring incentives and subsidies to encourage new car purchases!

[Tetley]

As a radiologist I work with high powered magnetic fields and strong radio frequency waves (just like microwaves) as part of MR imaging on a daily basis. Our radio wave power emitter is a couple hundred times the power of that of a handheld cell phone, and we put patients whole bodies or body parts into the magnets all day long for sometimes up to a couple hours per patient. The concern with radio waves is that they are indeed energy and can theoretically deposit that energy in your body, generally as simple heat, and the closer your body part is to the emitter of the radio waves the more likely there is to be energy deposition of a greater degree. Male gonads prefer cool to hot environments for optimum function, so theoretically your friend is correct. We never have discovered any adverse effects to our high powered magnetic fields and high powered radio wave emitters now with nearly twenty years experience with the technology. Theoretically, there is a risk but practically it is negligible. Because the power of the cell phone is so low by comparison I would not fear "frying" your nads with your cell phone in your sporran, any more that I would fear frying your eyes or brain with your cell phone when you are talking into it while holding it by your ear.

Yet my dentist leaves the room when taking x-rays so that the repeated exposure doesn't cause them any harm.

I still think I'll put my mobile somewhere else.

Mark

[beloitpiper]

Yet my dentist leaves the room when taking x-rays so that the repeated exposure doesn't cause them any harm.

I still think I'll put my mobile somewhere else.

Mark

Ah, see now you're mixing x-rays with radio waves, which are on the opposite side of the visible spectrum. Two very different things.

[Tetley]

Ah, see now you're mixing x-rays with radio waves, which are on the opposite side of the visible spectrum. Two very different things.

Only the frequency differs, they're both electromagnetic wave carrying energy from one place to another and the body is not opaque to them.

I'll still be careful, just in case.

Mark

[ForresterModern]

Only the frequency differs, they're both electromagnetic wave carrying energy from one place to another and the body is not opaque to them.

I'll still be careful, just in case.

Mark

Technically neither radiowaves or xrays are in the visible spectrum, but like any form of radiating energy (regular light included) there are risks to absorption of that energy by the body, if the quantity is significant. Also, as one moves away from the source of the radiating waves one actually logarhythmically diminishes the risk and amount of absorption----i.e., double the distance away from the source and your cut the absorption risk by a factor of four (one quarter of the absorption risk if you move from one foot to two feet from the source). Xrays are high energy waves that generally pass through human tissue (thats what give you the picture on the xray film---the rays that passed through you to reach the film) but some are absorbed and in those cases cause changes at the atomic level (electrons shift orbits---etc..., that kind of stuff) which can alter the chemical makeup of the molecules they interact with when they are absorbed. Hence the genetic risk of altering your DNA. Light waves, including infrared and ultraviolet, tend to also cause predominantly heat absorption but can have some effects at the atomic/molecular level, particularly those in the ultraviolet range (the end of the spectrum closer to the xray than the radio wave). Infrared end of the spectrum of light waves is closer to the radiowaves/microwaves and tends to predominantly deposit their energy as heat (they cause the molecules to increase their movement relative to one another, and when they settle back down the result is heat generated). Radiowaves used for cell phones fall into the microwave end of the spectrum and generally, like a microwave, deposit that energy as simple heat. So, unless your ear burns after you make a long call I wouldn't sweat where you carry your cell phone on your body.

Much ado about nothing. But it has generated a lively discussion.

jeff

[cavscout]

As a radiologist I work with high powered magnetic fields and strong radio frequency waves (just like microwaves) as part of MR imaging on a daily basis. Our radio wave power emitter is a couple hundred times the power of that of a handheld cell phone, and we put patients whole bodies or body parts into the magnets all day long for sometimes up to a couple hours per patient. The concern with radio waves is that they are indeed energy and can theoretically deposit that energy in your body, generally as simple heat, and the closer your body part is to the emitter of the radio waves the more likely there is to be energy deposition of a greater degree. Male gonads prefer cool to hot environments for optimum function, so theoretically your friend is correct. We never have discovered any adverse effects to our high powered magnetic fields and high powered radio wave emitters now with nearly twenty years experience with the technology. Theoretically, there is a risk but practically it is negligible. Because the power of the cell phone is so low by comparison I would not fear "frying" your nads with your cell phone in your sporran, any more that I would fear frying your eyes or brain with your cell phone when you are talking into it while holding it by your ear.

Yep, as an air traffic controller it was a running joke that the Radar waves would kill off the chromosomes that produce male babies. True or not, they may have regenerated, but I've at least proved the side effects are temporary (at least from a reproductive issue)