The electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is all types of wave that carry energy from one place to another.
The electromagnetic spectrum shows how the amount of energy carried by the wave will change depending on things such as frequency. Here are the different waves:
Brain tumours: (Information from )
A brain tumour is an abnormal mass of tissue in which some cells grow and multiply uncontrollably, that control normal cells. The growth of a tumour takes up space within the skull and interferes with normal brain activity. A tumour can cause damage by increasing pressure in the brain, by pushing against the skull, and by damaging nerves and healthy brain tissue. The location of a brain tumour influences the type of symptoms that occur. This is because different functions are controlled by different parts of the brain. Brain tumours rarely spread to other parts of the body outside of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord).
Some tumour types are more common in children than in adults. When childhood brain tumours occur in adults, they often occur in a different part of the brain than in children. Although most primary tumours affect both genders with equal frequency, some, such as meningiomas, occur more frequently in women, whereas others, such as medulloblastomas, more commonly affect boys and young men.
Arguments for
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Test by scientists at the transport research laboratory said drivers on mobiles had slower reaction and stopping times than people under the influence of alcohol. This is because the distraction of having a mobile phone near you is greater than that of having alcohol in your system. "The problem is you actually get sucked into the telephone conversation, and the conversation starts to take precedence over the driving task," according to Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. I think this argument is potentially reliable however there is very little information and evidence crucial to back up this theory. The website is and the BBC needs to keep up a trustworthy image to keep the TV ratings high, so it is unlikely that they would publish something that was not remotely reliable.
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Scientists claim there is a considerable amount of evidence proving that microwave radiation from mobile phones causes brain tumours, slower brain function and other health problems. “A considerable body of evidence proves, beyond reasonable doubt, that microwave radiation from mobile phones and cordless phones causes a significantly increased risk for brain tumours, disturbed brain function, and other disturbances including damage to the genes”. On the following website the conclusion is written in depth and also diagrams to back up the theory but also to show the effects. The theory coherently fits the other theories with a more detailed analysis. Although everything appears to fit, there is no information about the “scientists” who conducted the survey so how could you believe this with no first hand evidence?
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Children should be encouraged to limit exposure from mobile phones to their heads by reducing call time, by making calls where reception is good, by using hands-free devices or speaker options, or by texting. “Children have been warned to text rather than call, on their mobile phones by the federal government’s radiation safety watchdog”. This is due to the fact that children have softer growing skulls meaning more neurological damage would be inflicted as a pose to adults. The website is was the only source that actually provided any evidence, however it does need more information about the survey.
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David Adam, science correspondent reported on the 11th January 2005 reported that children should not use mobiles because of continuing concerns over the possible health risks. ‘‘Sir William Stewart of the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) urged parents not to give pones to children under the age of eight, and said those between eight and fourteen should use them only when absolutely necessary.’’ He also stated ‘‘I don’t think we can put our hands on our hearts and say mobile phones are totally safe’’, meaning that there is a slight possibility of negative health risks but no given proof.
The website was ... I think this source is reliable because firstly, it was conducted by William Stewart of the National Radiological Protection Board, and secondly, he never said mobile phones would definitely cause any complications in the future but he did state ‘If you have a teenager and you feel they can benefit in terms of security by having a mobile phone, it is a personal choice, it is a personal decision, although mobile phones have not always helped on that basis.’ Although Stewart thinks mobile are potentially dangerous, he recommends parents ‘adopt a precautionary approach’.
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D Jr, McLaughlin JK and Johansen C, believe the widespread use of mobile phones has created concerns about negative health effects. The objective of this study was to investigate cancer risk among Danish mobile phone users who were followed for up to 21 years. “people with brain cancer are more likely to have tumours on the side of their head that they say they hold their phone to”.The website was I don’t think this is reliable because on some parts of the web page it says there was evidence to back this statement however I quote from the same website “The vast majority of studies have found that mobile phones do not increase the risk of brain tumours, or any other type of cancer.”
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The study was conducted by Dr Vini Khurana who reported in the IoS in October that using handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer. “Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded”. The website is I think this is reliable because the argument was researched by a brain specialist and he claims to have evidence to back up his argument. There is also nothing contradicting him or his survey on the same website.
Arguments against
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The Danish study, which appears in the journal Neurology, involved more than 1,000 people. “Using a mobile phone does not increase the risk of developing a brain tumour, the latest research suggests”. The website is .
UK experts have recommended children should also limit the amount of time they spend using mobiles as a precautionary measure.
I think the source is trustworthy because it is peer reviewed and published. Again the BBC has published the article meaning if not a lot of truth there is definitely a hint. It also encourages the ALARA principal. (as low as reasonably achievable).
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A study by the Danish Cancer society has found no link between cell phone use and the incidence of brain tumors, contradicting recently reported studies that have linked cell phones and increased rates of brain cancer. “In a study of over 60,000 people in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden diagnosed with brain tumors between 1974 and 2003, the researchers found that the rate of brain cancer remained stable, decreased or only increased gradually before the introduction of wireless devices”. The website is I think the source is quite reliable because the survey involved over 60,000 people.
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Researchers published the findings of the six-year £8.8 million Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme, which concluded there was no evidence that using a mobile for less than ten years was linked to brain cancer. “It also concluded mobile phone signals did not alter brain function and were not linked to cases of electrical hypersensitivity”. The website is I think this source is reliable because by saying ‘in the short term’ is not denying long mobile phone usage will affect you, shows you that the source is honest. All they are saying is that they have not found a correlation between brain tumours and mobile phone usage in under eight years.
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A new study has provided further research to suggest that using a mobile phone does not increase the risk of brain cancer. “Japanese researchers found that regular mobile phone users were not at an increased risk of three types of brain cancer”. Participants included 322 brain cancer patients and 683 healthy people in Tokyo. The website is I think the source could be reliable because it informs the audience of both arguments to give them a better understanding and ultimately make their own decisions.
