Tech Trends: What If Cell Phones Cause Cancer?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:39 pm by Guest Contributor

Tech Trends: What If Cell Phones Cause Cancer? 2015-03-13T15:39:13-05:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

An article in today’s New York Times caught my eye: “Cellphone Radiation May Cause Cancer, Advisory Panel Says.” Now that’s not what I needed to start my day, but it certainly did get my interest.

Could a cancer risk end our cultural love affair with the cell phone?

According to this story by Tara Parker-Pope and Felicity Barringer, several things seems to be true:

1. The Advisory Panel was composed of well-regarded scholars who do not appear to have an axe to grind in this issue. The panel was from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the World Health Organization.

2. The “panel’s decision to classify cellphones as ‘possibly carcinogenic’ was based largely on epidemiological data showing an increased risk among heavy cellphone users of a rare type of brain tumor called a glioma.” Therefore, “Even if the elevated risk is confirmed, gliomas are relatively rare and thus individual risk remains minimal.”

3. “Most major medical groups, including the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, have said the existing data on cellphones and health has been reassuring.”

4. “Although the panel did not make specific recommendations to consumers, a representative did note that using a hands-free headset during a conversation or communicating via text message would be options for lowering radio frequency exposure.”

So we should not throw away our cell phones, at least not yet. Of course, given the way most people use their cell phones today, especially those under 25, it seems like researchers should look for higher incidence of hand cancer. My teenage kids almost never put their phones to their ears, except when their old dad calls them rather than texting them.

Still, I wonder what would happen if it was determined that cell phone usages does indeed increase our cancer risk? Would we all go out and buy headsets? (Note to self: Prepare to invest my fortune in headset companies.) Or would be be like smokers, whose addiction to a carcinogenic device overwhelms their health concerns?

For now, I’m keeping my cell phone. But I gotta go because my cheeseburger, fries, and Coke are waiting.

Technology and Culture

cancer

cell phone

Technology and Culture

Previous Post

June 1, 2011

How is the Kingdom of God Coming? Part 2

Next Post

June 2, 2011 David Brooks on the Pitfalls of College Graduation and the Origin of Calling

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Advent Calendar Alissa Wilkinson Archeology Art and Faith Ash Wednesday Bible Books Business Business and Faith Christian Year (Liturgical or Church Year) Christmas Christmas according to Dickens Christmas, Culture, and Christ Christmas: Keeping Christmas Well Church and Culture Church and Ministry Church and Technology Church Life Church: What is a Church? Cities Code of Ethics for Pastors Contentment Creativity Cultural Commentary Culture Daily Reflections Dallas Willard Deliberating on Digital Dignity Easter Education Ephesus and the New Testament Ethics Eugene Peterson Evangelical Existential Questions Faith Faith and Work Family Food Friendship Fun Good Reads Gospel Centered Christianity Grace Handel's Messiah Harvard University Health High Calling History Holidays Holy Spirit Holy Week Hospitality How Does God Guide Us? Hunger Games Insights for Leaders - De Pree Center Inspiration from the High Calling Jesus Jesus: Following Him as a Disciple Jesus: Seven Last Words Jesus: Was Jesus Married? Jesus: What Was His Message? Jesus: Why Did He Have to Die? Laity Lodge Leadership Leadership Conversation Lent Les Miserables Life for Leaders Linda's Advent Doodles Linda's Lenten Doodles Living Well Loving Neighbors Max De Pree Center for Leadership Mental Health Mission of God and Missional Church Money Moral Dilemmas Mormonism Movies Nature New York City Pastors and Churches Pentecost Photos to Share Poetry Police Blotter Politics Prayer Preachers Portal Preaching Presbyterian Church Quotations Reading the Times Recommendations Reflecting on Technology Religion and Culture Ruminations Sabbath Science Seven Last Words Sexual Harassment Social Media Something to Think About Spiritual Warfare Sports Stations of the Cross Stephen Hawking: Heaven and Faith Stories Technology and Culture Technology and Education Technology and Mental Health Technology Bits Texas Thanksgiving The High Calling Thin Places Uncategorized Vocation Women Words Work Worship

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Psalm contains "Create in me a clean heart, O God"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalm 110 Psalm 70 Psalm 51 Psalm 33