Previously it was thought that overuse of handphones would lead to overheating of the brain and maybe cause brain cancer. Many people and handphone makers sigh with relief when research reported the heating was too minor to have an effect and hundreds of cancer studies were inconclusive.A study - financed by the Swedish Council for Work Life Research, and published by the US government's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) - breaks new ground by looking at how low levels of microwaves cause proteins to leak across the blood-brain barrier.
Professor Leif Salford, who headed the research at Sweden's prestigious Lund University, says "the voluntary exposure of the brain to microwaves from hand-held mobile phones" is "the largest human biological experiment ever". And he is concerned that, as new wireless technology spreads, people may "drown in a sea of microwaves".Professor Salford and his team have spent 15 years investigating this different threat. Their previous studies proved radiation could open the blood-brain barrier, allowing a protein called albumin to pass into the brain. Their latest work goes a step further, by showing the process is linked to serious brain damage.
Professor Salford said the long-term effects were not proven, and that it was possible the neurons would repair themselves in time. But, he said, neurons that would normally not become "senile" until people reached their 60s may now do so when they were in their 30s. This could cause a "whole generation" of today's teenagers to go senile in the prime of their lives. The older handphone users have less to worry but for those starting very young especially those of primary schooling age, there may need to be a rethink whether they should be using these potential "senility" causing devices.
(Source: Internet)
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Why Cell Phones Are Banned On Flights
Cell phones are banned for two official reasons:
1. Cell phones might interfere with the avionics (aviation electronics) of some airplanes.
2. Cell phones aloft might cause problems with cell tower systems on the ground.
Well, no, actually. The risk posed by cell phones to airplane equipment is unknown, and will remain unknown for as long as possible.
Both of these risks are easily tested, yet somehow neither the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nor the Federal Communications Commission has been able to get a definitive answer in the past 20 years as to whether phone calls in flight cause these suspected problems. (The FAA is responsible for the flight safety portion of all this, and the FCC is responsible for the cell tower part.)
The government's secret is that it cultivates uncertainty about the effects of phones in airplanes as a way to maintain the existing ban without having to confront the expense and inconvenience to airlines and wireless carriers of allowing them.
The airlines fear "crowd control" problems if cell phones are allowed in flights. They believe cell phone calls might promote rude behavior and conflict between passengers, which flight attendants would have to deal with. The airlines also benefit in general from passengers remaining ignorant about what's happening on the ground during flights, including personal problems, terrorist attacks, plane crashes and other information that might upset passengers.
(Source: Computerworld , April 06, 2007)
1. Cell phones might interfere with the avionics (aviation electronics) of some airplanes.
2. Cell phones aloft might cause problems with cell tower systems on the ground.
Well, no, actually. The risk posed by cell phones to airplane equipment is unknown, and will remain unknown for as long as possible.
Both of these risks are easily tested, yet somehow neither the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nor the Federal Communications Commission has been able to get a definitive answer in the past 20 years as to whether phone calls in flight cause these suspected problems. (The FAA is responsible for the flight safety portion of all this, and the FCC is responsible for the cell tower part.)
The government's secret is that it cultivates uncertainty about the effects of phones in airplanes as a way to maintain the existing ban without having to confront the expense and inconvenience to airlines and wireless carriers of allowing them.
The airlines fear "crowd control" problems if cell phones are allowed in flights. They believe cell phone calls might promote rude behavior and conflict between passengers, which flight attendants would have to deal with. The airlines also benefit in general from passengers remaining ignorant about what's happening on the ground during flights, including personal problems, terrorist attacks, plane crashes and other information that might upset passengers.
(Source: Computerworld , April 06, 2007)
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