

Why Cell Phones Can't Cause Cancer, but Bananas Can - Mitchhhs
http://mitchkirby.com/2015/04/22/why-cell-phones-cant-cause-cancer-but-bananas-can/

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hetman
Complex systems exhibit all sorts of interesting emergent behaviours. Many
things in living systems, like the way proteins fold, can be incredibly
intricate. There are thousands of complex chemical pathways that need to work
in synchronicity. We don't even fully understand all the factors influencing
the appearance of cancers, many new exciting discoveries are still being made.
Even things like resonance in certain circumstances could bridge some of the
gap in power levels discussed.

It is the height of hubris to suggest there was never even any point in
checking if mobile phones could cause cancer. Those studies were not a waste;
science is full of surprises and empirical evidence is still the loudest voice
science has.

~~~
yarper
Agreed - for example people with HPV are more likely to get cancer seemingly
unlinked to their exposure to ionising radiation.

I do however tend to agree with the author that cell-phones causing cancer is
hokum.

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gregonicus
Looks like ionization is not the only criteria for health impact. See "DNA is
a fractal antenna in electromagnetic fields"

and the conclusion: "The wide frequency range of interaction with EMF is the
functional characteristic of a fractal antenna, and DNA appears to possess the
two structural characteristics of fractal antennas, electronic conduction and
self symmetry. These properties contribute to greater reactivity of DNA with
EMF in the environment, and the DNA damage could account for increases in
cancer epidemiology, as well as variations in the rate of chemical evolution
in early geologic history"

[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21457072](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21457072)

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zzzeek
the cellphone causing cancer theory has nothing to do with ionizing vs. non-
ionizing radiation. it has to do with the fact that cell phones are shown to
alter brain activity in the area localized to where the phone is physically
placed:
[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184892/](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184892/)
(nyt background story: [http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/cellphone-
use-tied-...](http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/cellphone-use-tied-to-
changes-in-brain-activity/))

~~~
brador
Fascinating stuff! Could it be possible the phone near the ear that was on
muted call was causing static electricity in the hair in the ear canal,
causing the spike in brain glucose in that region as the brain senses it?

~~~
zzzeek
seems a whole lot more simple that the brain and nervous system are
electromagnetic in nature (any google result, such as
[http://www.caltech.edu/news/neurobiologists-find-weak-
electr...](http://www.caltech.edu/news/neurobiologists-find-weak-electrical-
fields-brain-help-neurons-fire-together-1671)), and EMF induces current.

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justinsb
If you're free to assume a particular model, you can prove whatever you want
under that model. The debate is as to whether that model is correct.

~~~
rrss1122
The particular model chosen in the article reflects physical reality, and the
physical reality of it is that cell phones do not produce ionizing radiation.
There is no debate as to whether this is correct, because this is how we see
the world operating.

As the article states, you only start running into ionizing radiation at much
higher energy levels, the kind you are exposed to just walking outside in
sunlight. The link between sun exposure and skin cancer is well-established.
The link between cell phone exposure and any cancer is non-existent.

~~~
hetman
And if we can prove that ionising radiation is the only thing that can cause
cancers then we're golden in applying this model.

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rajadigopula
"For instance, a Danish study followed 420,000 people over 20 years and found
no link between cancer and mobile phone use "\- Studied Mobile phone use for
over 20 Years!?

~~~
GFK_of_xmaspast
When do you think mobile phones were invented.

~~~
rajadigopula
It's not when they were invented. It's about - when is the relation between
cancer and mobile phones established and studies started in that direction. My
best guess it's definitely not before 20 years!

~~~
ceejayoz
The first mobile phones were demonstrated in the 1970s, so there was plenty of
time for someone to go "huh, I wonder if that'd cause health problems" over
the course of a couple decades.

