Cellphones Do Not Cause Brain Cancer, Says 29-Year Study (gizmodo.com)

A study from Australia reassures us that cellphones are reasonably safe, and do not cause brain cancer. Chris Mills writes from Gizmodo: "The study examines the incidence of brain cancer in the Australian population between 1982 to 2013. The study pitted the prevalence of mobile phones among the population -- starting at 0 percent -- against brain cancer rates, using data from national cancer registration data. The results showed a very slight increase in brain cancer rates among males, but a stable level among females. There were significant increases in over -70s, but began in 1982, before cellphones were even a thing." What makes the study in Australia so authentic compared to other studies conducted in other countries is the fact that all diagnosed cases of cancer have to be registered by law.

Comments

Re:stats nerd question

[drinkypoo]

Neither TFA nor the researchers make the claim that "cell phones don't cause cancer". That was made up by whoever wrote the Slashdot summary.

O RLY? I disagree. I believe TFA really does say that cellphones don't cause cancer. They provide a bunch of supporting arguments and evidence of such, and then conclude with "We have had mobiles in Australia since 1987. Some 90% of the population use them today and many of these have used them for a lot longer than 20 years. But we are seeing no rise in the incidence of brain cancer against the background rate." What message do you think they want us to take away?

Re: They can't

[ultranova]

Every cell is full of proteins which control cell death, proliferation, stasis, and other critical functions.

Every cell also experiences several K of temperature variance every day as a natural part of human circadian rythm. Cells near the edge of the body, especially at extremities like ears, are of course subjects to far greater and more frequent variance.

Your cell phone simply doesn't have the power output to matter. It's a rounding error on natural causes.

But at an individual level, can prolonged exposure to microwave radiation cause cancers? Absolutely, though the chances are small.

Better declare warm baths and hot meals carcinogenic too, then. They both heat your tissues far more effectively than your phone can.

I know it's fashionable to be scared of everything, but this is ridiculous.