The debate over cell phone radiation and cancer is still raging, thanks to a report that one in four of studies paid for by the phone industry showed harmful effects, while three in four of independently funded studies showed bioeffects. This review isn’t proof of the influence of mobile phones on cancer, but it does make a pretty scary case for the influence of economics on science.
Geeks may protest that the energy of phone photons is too low to fold proteins in carcinogenic ways, but meanwhile many of them (er, us) are exposing ourselves to much greater hazards through technologies we take for granted.
Like the car:
Researchers at a Toronto hospital say that every hour spent driving could lead to a 20-minute loss in life expectancy.
Using complex computer models, a team at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre determined that, much like how each cigarette smoked takes about five minutes off of a person’s life, the more time spent behind the wheel, the more likely a person is to die in a car crash.
“When drivers try to speed to get to their destination faster, they actually lose more time because the savings from faster travel are offset by the increased prospect of a crash,” said Dr. Donald Redelmeier, the study’s lead researcher…
Or how about the technology that your butt is probably sitting on right now?
Yup: your chair.
Every hour [per day] spent sitting idle in front of the television raises the risk of premature death from heart disease by 18%, an Australian study found. Researchers tracked the TV-viewing habits of 8,800 adults and followed them for six years. They found those who spent four hours daily in front of the tube had an 80% greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who watched the box for less than two hours. The association was independent of risks such as smoking, obesity and unhealthy diet.
Unfortunately, sitting down too long is bad even if you exercise. The good news?
“Climbing stairs rather than using elevators and escalators, 5 minutes of break during sedentary work, or walking to the store rather than taking the car will be as important as exercise.”
Of course, the original study concerned a TV rather than a computer. Nevertheless, you’re probably better off reading this news on an iPhone with all its EM “radiation” while going for a walk than on a monitor while sitting at your desk.