by Brent Stauffer
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN:
Can You Hear Me Now? The Truth about Cell Phones and Cancer
By Michael Shermer (publisher of the Skeptic magazine)
http://www.scientificamerican.com
October 4, 2010
Cell phones cannot cause cancer, because they do not emit enough energy to break the molecular bonds inside cells. Some forms of electromagnetic radiation, such as x-rays, gamma rays and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, are energetic enough to break the bonds in key molecules such as DNA and thereby generate mutations that lead to cancer. Electromagnetic radiation in the form of infrared light, microwaves, television and radio signals, and AC power is too weak to break those bonds, so we don’t worry about radios, televisions, microwave ovens and power outlets causing cancer.
A cell phone generates radiation of less than 0.001 kJ/mole. That is 480,000 times weaker than UV rays and 240,000 times weaker than green light!
Scientific American vs. Lady Gaga
September 28, 2010
Yes, yes, yes, we can all agree that microwaves are too weak to disrupt molecular bonds. Can we now please move beyond that? We have been covering this topic for decades, with special emphasis on the possibility that power-frequency EMFs and cell-phone radiation may lead to DNA breaks. Yes, again, not break them directly — but perhaps by inhibiting the repair process. We all know —or at least we should— that DNA breaks are common events in human biology. What would happen if the repair mechanisms that can usually fix the breaks no longer work? In the end, there isn't much net difference between breaking a bond and failing to repair an already broken bond. Either way, you end up with potentially compromised genetic material.
RICHARD 2010:
response on Scientific American website from some random dude
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-you-hear-me-now#comment-02
9/26/10
It is true that the energy of cell phone radiation cannot break DNA, the missing word in this article is *directly*. Thus, even the title is incorrect,
What about the *indirect* effects of cell phone radiation? About 6 different research groups have independently shown that DNA breakage occurs after cell phone radiation, and among some of the mechanisms implicated are 1). generation of reactive oxygen species, 2). protein phosphorylation, 3). cell cycle perturbations, 4). protein expression changes, particularly that of Hsp70 heat shock proteins.
BIRMINGHAM FREE PRESS:
Special Cell Phone Debate Analyst
Mid-October, 2010
Say what to who now?
