The Chicago Tribune claims that its study of iPhone 7 and other smartphones exceed the safety limit for cellphone radiation. Using a “tub of clear liquid, specially formulated to simulate human tissue” it found radiation exposure from the iPhone 7 was more than double what Apple reported from its own testing. Apple disputes the study, and the FCC will conduct further studies.
Cellphones use radio waves to communicate with a vast network of fixed installations called base stations or cell towers. These radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, in the same frequency range used by TVs and microwave ovens.
This kind of radiation, also known as radiofrequency energy, shouldn’t be confused with ionizing radiation, such as gamma rays and X-rays, which can strip electrons from atoms and cause serious biological harm, including cancer.
Of course, there is no conclusive evidence that non-ionizing radiation is powerful enough to have a measurable effect on the human body. John Kheit and I agree to disagree 😉
Check It Out: Study Claims iPhone 7 Exceeds Radiation Limit
If non-ionizing radiation is harmful, heaven help all of us. We are using it all the time. We use it every time we microwave something, for instance. I wasn’t allowed to replace my microwave (because of these stupid rumours) when it broke down after 21 years, but that 21 years saw it getting a LOT of use. We received cooking lessons with our purchase (some time in the 70s when microwaves first came to New Zealand) so we got to make things most people don’t bother with in their microwaves these days. I remember making fudge, puddings, muffins, jams. stews, even cooking eggs for breakfast. So we should be dead from radiation by now!