When it comes to the health dangers of mobile phones, it seems there are as many viewpoints as there are handsets, including one that gets very little coverage indeed.
According to scientists like Peter Cochrane, a former head of research at BT, the mobile networks' base stations that are at the root of so many protests aren't much of a problem.
More masts please
He believes that interest groups campaigning for the removal of phone masts are actually doing their cause a disservice and that they should, in fact, be trying to get more masts in their neighbourhoods.
The physics of electromagnetic radiation say that the power transmitted between a phone and a base station increases with distance from the mast. So, a phone 1km from a mast doses anyone holding it with far more energy than one at half that distance.
Wi-Fi no problem
Accordingly, if a phone user wants to minimise the radiation coming from their handset as it tries to stay in touch with the network, they should be as close to a base station as possible.
The same physical facts apply to all sorts of wireless communications, so the spread of technologies like Wi-Fi and WiMax shouldn't be a concern. However, that's not taking into account those few purists who would like to see an end to electromagnetic 'pollution' entirely, so the debate has plenty of life left in it.
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Your comments (2) Click to add a new comment
fmcnish
March 5th
2. The science you are talking about, maybe correct, but the debate is about the phone user has the choice if they want to expose EMF radiation to their head whilst using the mobile phone, regardless of the distance to the mast. The person who has a mast close to thier home and around the 75 metres where the beam of greatest intensity falls has no choice what so ever. No studies have yet been carried out on the Biological effects of EMF radation and experts are hinting that children could be at risk. This country should follow other countries and protect its population by taking precautions and keeping masts away from homes and schools until we know the facts.
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fmcnish
March 5th
1. The science you are talking about, maybe correct, but the debate is about the phone user has the choice if they want to expose EMF radiation to their head whilst using the mobile phone, regardless of the distance to the mast. The person who has a mast close to thier home and around the 75 metres where the beam of greatest intensity falls has no choice what so ever. No studies have yet been carried out on the Biological effects of EMF radation and experts are hinting that children could be at risk. This country should follow other countries and protect its population by taking precautions and keeping masts away from homes and schools until we know the facts.
Alert a moderator
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