Something to be wary of

[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]

I keep mine in the pocket with my asbestos coated lucky lead penny.

Go on, live dangerously!

Mark

[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

[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)

[BruceK]

I'm trying to find the place I read this but I recall seeing a suggestion that if you put the phone in your sporran (or pocket) with the rear of the phone facing away from your body that there would be less of a risk of receiving radiation. The thought being, I guess, is that the antenna for the phone is on the back of it and so if it faces away from your body your phone won't be sending its microwaves into your meaty flesh.

[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.

[Bugbear]

Ya, the X-rays come from peeling Scotch tape in a vacuum.

[Southern Breeze]

There's always the Godzilla factor to consider - radiation makes things grow larger....

[Ian.MacAllan]

If anybody has a cellular phone that works satisfactorily while wrapped in aluminum foil I'd sure like to hear of it.

.

[CDNSushi]

There's only one problem. Where am I going to keep my phone now?

Mark

I KNOW! I KNOW! No, wait. This is a G-rated forum. LOL. As my friends would say, "You just walked straight into that one!"

But no, seriously. I wouldn't worry about it much either. But hey, maybe if you wrote an e-mail in to the Mythbusters they could do some cool blowy-uppy thing on an upcoming show for you...

And on a separate note, I almost hate to agree (because I've been guilty of it too) but I do highly dislike it when you're having a conversation with someone and mid-sentence they tell you to "hang on" as they answer their cellphone. It's bloody rude.

Even better is when it's not important and they spend the next 5 minutes chatting, laughing and carrying on. Then they hang up, look at you and say, "Anyway. You were saying..."