For Sheezy, There is Really 'No Link' Between Cellphones and Brain Tumors
UK researchers interviewed 966 people from across Britain diagnosed with brain tumours, as well as 1716 apparently healthy controls between December 2000 and February 2004.
The epidemiological survey found no evidence that using a cellphone increased the risk of developing a tumour or that prolonged usage increased risk either.
The study did find an association between the location of a tumour and side of the head that patients said they most often used to make calls. But when the team considered handedness – which correlates to the side of the head to which cellphones are most commonly held – there was no link.
In light of the overall study results the researchers believe the association was an anomaly – they suggest these patients most probably misremembered their cellphone usage, in an effort to explain the tumour.
OK, I would like to emphasize that we (scientists) are really serious now. There is really NO link. I know that a lot of you were saying "Oh my God! There are a lot of tumors out there. And a lot of cellphones! Surely there is some relationship."
The answer is no. Time for you to all let it go...
In January 2005 the UK's National Radiological Protection Board produced a report that also found no evidence to suggest cellphone use is harmful. But the NRPB recommended a "precautionary approach" and said cellphones should not be given to children under the age of 8, because they might be more susceptible than adults to any ill effects of cellphone radiation.
If I might briefly go on a rant about the "precautionary principle" as well. It is likely that whatever ill effects one can attribute to Cheerios consumption will have greater effects on children. This does not mean that there ARE ill effects to Cheerios consumption. There are enough precautions that one has to take to keep children safe from real threats; must we add fictitious threats to that list?
Algorithm Detects Canadian Spin, Shocked World Threatens Invasion
Spin, in this case, is defined as “text or speech where the apparent meaning is not the true belief of the person saying or writing it”, says the algorithm’s developer, David Skillicorn at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.
Article comments
1 - JR
Finally, more Science Roundup. My favorite column!