Is Radiation From Our Devices Dangerous? | Talking Point | Full Episode
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the effectiveness of anti-radiation products, which claim to shield us from radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by wireless devices like mobile phones. The script interviews experts, tests the radiation levels of various phones, and examines the safety of common household devices. It reveals that while these devices meet international safety guidelines, some anti-radiation products do little to reduce exposure. The video concludes that maintaining distance from active devices and limiting usage time are practical ways to minimize RF-EMF exposure.
Takeaways
- 📈 Sales of anti-radiation products in Singapore have quadrupled over the past five years.
- 📱 Devices like anti-radiation stickers claim to protect against radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by wireless devices such as mobile phones.
- 🤔 Many people are unaware of RF-EMF and the warnings about radiation exposure that come with their phones.
- 🌐 RF-EMF is non-ionizing, meaning it doesn't have enough energy to damage cells, unlike ionizing radiation like X-rays and gamma rays.
- ⚖️ International guidelines ensure that mobile phones are designed and operated below specific absorption rate (SAR) levels, which measure the amount of heat absorbed by the body.
- 📲 SAR measures only the heat produced, not the total RF-EMF energy emitted by phones.
- 🏡 Electrical devices in homes emit RF-EMF signals, but it's the devices that transmit data using RF-EMF that are of more concern.
- ⚠️ The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF-EMF as possibly carcinogenic to humans, especially with prolonged exposure over 10 watts per meter square.
- 👶 Vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals can be more affected by RF-EMF radiation.
- 🛡 Some anti-radiation products, like certain stickers and baby beanies, can reduce RF exposure by reflecting radiation waves, but not all products are effective.
Q & A
What do anti-radiation stickers and devices claim to protect against?
-Anti-radiation stickers and devices claim to protect against radiation exposure, specifically from radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by wireless devices like mobile phones.
What is RF-EMF and why is it a concern?
-RF-EMF stands for Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field, which is the type of non-ionizing radiation emitted by wireless devices. It's a concern because prolonged exposure to high levels of RF-EMF may potentially lead to health issues, including an increased risk of cancer according to some studies.
What is the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and why is it important?
-The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is a measure of how much power a certain volume or mass of tissue can absorb from RF energy, which translates to the amount of heat that builds up over time. It's important because it helps to ensure that mobile phones and other devices are designed and operated below the international guidelines for safe levels of RF exposure.
What is the international safety limit for SAR?
-The international safety limit for SAR is 1.6 watts per kilogram, as mentioned in the script, which is the maximum amount of RF energy absorption that is considered safe for human tissue over a certain period.
How does the radiation level compare between different mobile phones?
-The script indicates that the radiation levels of different mobile phones can vary, but all tested models emitted between 26.4 milliwatts and 47 milliwatts per meter square, which is significantly below the safety limit of 10 watts per meter square.
What is the significance of the color red and green in the radiation measurement chamber?
-In the radiation measurement chamber, the color red indicates a higher level of radiated power, while green signifies a lower level of radiated power.
How can one reduce RF exposure from mobile phones?
-To reduce RF exposure, one can use speaker mode during calls, keep the phone away from the body when not in use, turn off the phone at night, and maintain a distance from the phone when it's in active use.
Do anti-radiation stickers and devices effectively block RF-EMF?
-The effectiveness of anti-radiation stickers and devices varies. Some, like certain baby beanies containing metallic material, can reflect signals and reduce exposure, while others, like the tested sticker and bracelet, did not show any significant effect in the tests conducted in the script.
What is the role of distance in reducing RF exposure?
-Distance plays a crucial role in reducing RF exposure. As the distance from the source of RF-EMF increases, the exposure level decreases significantly. This is demonstrated in the script where moving further from a transmitter greatly reduced the signal power received.
What steps have been taken in some countries to limit children's exposure to RF-EMF?
-Some countries like Canada, Israel, and Belgium have taken steps to limit children's exposure to RF-EMF by prohibiting mobile phone advertising to young children below the age of 14, and in France, labels and cell phone cases come with warnings about radiation.
What is the current stance of the World Health Organization (WHO) on RF-EMF and its potential carcinogenicity?
-The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF-EMF as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), indicating that there could be some risk associated with long-term, high exposure.
Outlines
📱 Investigating RF EMF Protection Devices
The video script begins with an exploration of products claiming to protect against radiation exposure from wireless devices. Sales of these products in Singapore have increased significantly. The narrator aims to determine if these devices are effective and if there's a need to worry about radiation from everyday devices. The investigation starts with a street interview to gauge public awareness about radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF). The narrator finds that many people are unaware of RF EMF and the warnings on their phones. The script introduces Professor Pay Yi Young, an expert who explains RF exposure, emphasizing that it is non-ionizing and less harmful compared to ionizing radiation like X-rays. The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is highlighted as a safety measure for RF exposure, with a safe limit of 1.6 watts per kilogram.
🔬 Testing Mobile Phone Radiation
The second paragraph details an experiment to measure the radiation emitted by the latest mobile phones. Professor Pay Yi Young assists in testing five different phones inside a shielded chamber to ensure accurate measurements. The test involves calling each phone to activate it and observing the radiated power, indicated by color changes on a screen. The script then shifts to discuss the radiation emitted by various home electronic devices, emphasizing that devices using RF EMF to transmit data, like smartphones and routers, are the primary concern. The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF EMF as possibly carcinogenic, with exposure over 10 watts per meter square being potentially harmful. The script introduces a home visit by an RF expert to assess radiation risks, using a spectrum analyzer to measure emissions from a Wi-Fi router, which are found to be significantly below safety limits.
🏠 Assessing Home Radiation Safety
In this section, the script discusses the safety of radiation levels in the home. The expert, Professor Venkat, uses a spectrum analyzer to measure radiation from various devices and explains that the levels are well below the safety threshold. The script emphasizes the importance of distance in reducing radiation exposure, with a demonstration showing a significant drop in signal strength as distance from a transmitter increases. The narrator also considers the safety of carrying a phone in a pocket, with the expert noting that while phones operate within safety guidelines, using speaker mode or other methods to increase distance can further reduce exposure.
🌐 Global Concerns Over RF EMF
The fourth paragraph introduces Dr. Devra Davis, an advocate for greater transparency regarding RF EMF radiation. She argues that current safety limits are outdated and not protective of human health, citing studies that link long-term phone use to an increased risk of brain tumors. Dr. Davis emphasizes that the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, and children are particularly vulnerable to RF EMF. The script mentions that some countries have taken steps to limit children's exposure to mobile phones and that the WHO's limit of 10 watts per meter square is considered outdated. Dr. Davis calls for a review of these limits.
🛡 Testing Anti-Radiation Products
The final paragraph reveals the results of tests on the radiation emitted by popular phone models, all of which are well below the safety limit. The narrator then tests various anti-radiation products, including stickers, a maternity belly band, and a baby beanie. The tests show that some products, particularly those containing metallic materials, can reduce RF exposure by reflecting radiation waves. However, not all products are effective, leading the narrator to conclude that while devices meet safety guidelines, it's still advisable to limit exposure and use hands-free kits or reduce phone usage to minimize potential risks.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Anti-radiation stickers and tapes
💡Radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF EMF)
💡Specific absorption rate (SAR)
💡Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
💡Watts per meter square
💡Radiation exposure
💡Electromagnetic spectrum
💡Smart devices
💡Safety guidelines
💡Anti-radiation devices
💡Distance
Highlights
Anti-radiation stickers and devices claim to protect from radiation exposure, with sales in Singapore quadrupling over five years.
Devices aim to protect from radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by wireless devices like mobile phones.
Investigation into whether these devices actually protect and if there's a need to worry about radiation exposure.
Many people are unaware of RF-EMF and the warnings about radiation in their phone's settings.
RF stands for radio frequency, part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and is non-ionizing, meaning it doesn't damage cells.
International guidelines ensure phones operate below certain radiation levels, measured by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).
SAR measures heat produced by radio frequency energy, not the amount of RF-EMF energy emitted.
Testing five latest mobile phones for radiation emissions in a shielded chamber.
All electrical devices emit RF-EMF signals, but it's the devices transmitting data that pose potential concerns.
WHO's IARC defined RF-EMF as possibly carcinogenic, with exposure over 10 watts per meter square potentially harmful.
Home assessment reveals radiation levels well below safety standards, with distance from devices key to reducing exposure.
Dr. Devra Davis argues that current safety limits are outdated and do not protect human health.
Studies suggest a doubled risk of developing a rare brain tumor from regular phone use over 10 years.
Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to RF-EMF radiation.
Some countries have taken steps to protect vulnerable groups, such as prohibiting phone advertising to children.
Lab tests show popular phone models emit radiation well below safety limits.
Anti-radiation products are tested, with mixed results on their effectiveness.
Recommendations to limit exposure include using speaker mode, keeping devices away from the body, and reducing phone usage time.
Transcripts
so
[Music]
anti-radiation stickers and tapes
and devices like these
they all claim to protect us from
radiation exposure
according to industry sources sales of
these products in singapore have
quadrupled over the past five years
[Music]
you know a lot of these devices are
meant to protect us from what is called
the radio frequency electromagnetic
field or rf emf now simply put is
radiation that is emitted from our
wireless devices like a mobile phone so
in this episode i'm going to investigate
if such devices really do protect us and
if there is a need to be worried about
the radiation exposure
all around us
to start off my investigation i'm
hitting the streets to find out how many
of us actually know what radio frequency
electromagnetic field is
you might not realize it but there is a
section of your phone titled rf exposure
it contains quite a fair bit of
information that tells you about
radiation from your phone
i printed out the information and it's a
lot of fine print to read can i ask you
a few questions about your phone you
have two phones have you ever thought
about a radiation that comes from your
phone uh yeah sometimes
not really
is it deadly is it deadly ah that's a
good question can i show you something
can you take out your phones have you
ever seen the warnings on your phone
which part of the settings in general
legal and regular trees no i say no i
don't and then you see rf exposure have
you ever seen this before
oh no
have you ever looked at this page no it
didn't yeah yeah nobody does right
this basically warns you that
the phone is giving off some radiation
they also suggest using a free option do
any of you ever do that yeah speakers
right yeah i always do that you see uh
year of the year piece yeah
have you been worried enough to ever buy
any of these you know like uh
anti-radiation sticker or you have these
bracelets bought one of them with my
kids
so as i discovered many people are just
like me not quite knowing what rf emf
really is all about so i'm off to meet
someone who can tell me more
hello prof
hi thanks for meeting up you know on our
phones there's a section that talks
about how you need to be careful about
certain radiation frequencies so i have
to ask you what exactly is rf exposure
rf stands for radio frequency and it's
part of the electromagnetic spectrum and
electromagnetic energy is all around us
okay and phones and electronic devices
operate in that part of the spectrum
called radio frequency the radio
frequency part of the spectrum is
non-ionizing in nature they don't have
so much energy to cause any damage to
the cells so light is also part of an
electromagnetic energy spectrum light
stands right in between the ionizing and
non-ionizing spectrums so anything
beyond the light spectrum is going to be
ionizing in nature x-rays and gamma rays
so would the rf exposure for my phone
then be ionizing or non-ionizing it
operates in a lower frequency and it's
non-ionizing in nature yet they have the
ability to let's say heat up the body
for example if that particular device is
held close to our body which in this
case is a cell phone but there are
international guidelines where uh these
phones are to be designed and operated
below those reference levels guidelines
have been given to in terms of certain
measures called the specific absorption
rate yeah what does that actually mean
specific absorption rate is a measure of
how much power a certain volume or mass
of tissue is able to absorb
and that translates directly to amount
of heat that builds up over time okay so
there are regulations as to what is a
safe limit here it says the limit is 1.6
watts per kilogram that's right so as
long as any phone manufacturer who has
done a device is tested and proven that
it is less than 1.6 watts it's only then
he will be able to put it out in
commercial market 1.6 watts per kilogram
the sar or specific absorption rate
measures only the heat produced when
radio frequency energy hits our body
it doesn't measure the amount of radio
frequency electromagnetic field or rf
emf energy emitted
which is what the anti-radiation
products claimed to protect us against
i tried looking through my phone but
beyond the sar or specific absorption
rate i couldn't find any information on
rf emf levels our phones emit
so i'm taking things into my own hands
i'm meeting up with professor pay yi
young her research and wireless
applications can help me gauge how much
radiation our phones emit
i'm testing five of the latest mobile
phones in the market
hello professor hello so i need your
help today because you know how we're
carrying our phones with us and our
bodies the whole time and i know these
guys emit radiation but i'm wondering
how much radiation do different phones
give off are you able to help me measure
that yeah sure we can measure it inside
the chamber here okay
this chamber is completely shielded from
other energy sources so whatever is
measured inside will come only from the
phones
we're placing all the phones inside one
at a time
to measure the radiation emitted when
the phone is active we'll be making a
call to the phone
we see that when the color is red it
means that more radiated power the color
is green it means less radiated power so
if we look at the pattern here
it tells us that the radiation is
stronger over here right so it's kind of
the top left corner that seems to be the
area which has the most
radiation yes and the bottom also
radiates quite a lot of power over here
you see the color is more
right red
the test for all the phones will take
three to five days
meanwhile i'm turning my investigation
to our homes
it's not just our mobile devices all
electrical devices emit rf emf signals
[Music]
but as devices that use rf emf to
transmit signals that we should be most
worried about things like your your
smart watch bluetooth headphones laptop
tablet
wi-fi router smart tv the list goes on
and most of us have all these things at
home it's got me thinking i wonder just
how exposed my family and i could be to
radiation
i'm about to find out
i've learned that all electrical devices
emit radio frequency electromagnetic
field waves or rf emf but it's the ones
using rf emf to transmit data that we
should really be worried about
devices like our phones laptops and
routers
the radiation emitted from these devices
are measured in watts per meter square
so in 2011 the who's international
agency for research on cancer defined rf
emf as possibly carcinogenic to humans
meaning it may cause cancer to us now
this happens when there is exposure of
more than 10 watts per meter square so
i'm thinking about all the wireless
devices around my home and i'm getting a
little bit concerned i'm meeting up with
radio frequency expert professor venkat
again this time at my house to assess
the radiation risk to my family so i've
been worried about you know radiation in
my home and wondering if i can you know
figure out just how safe it is yes uh we
can do that steve i brought this
instrument called as the spectrum
analyzer this instrument allows you not
only to see the power levels but also to
see the different frequencies that are
around in your house
okay great let me bring you to my
favorite spot i want to see how safe
that is sure
have a seat please yeah uh i would need
your help to carry this probe and we
could move it closer to the router to
see what kind of signals yes you're
doing good
so what this instrument is now measuring
is the emissions from that router and
since it's a wi-fi router we can see two
significant peaks appearing at 2.4
gigahertz band as well as the 5
gigahertz band which is licensed for
wi-fi use those are the strong signals
but how much is it giving off in terms
of radiation yes the guidelines is 10
watts per meter square we see the red
line on top here that is what it means
now
every line below that is 10 times lower
than that so if the peak value that you
see here for the 2.4 gigahertz is 7.1
milliwatts per meter square right and
that is like a factor of at least 1000
times lower than guidelines of 10 watts
per meter square
okay so in other words what you're
saying is where the red line if i cross
that that's not good all the emissions
across the different frequencies if they
add up together and crosses the total
power of 10 watts per meter square then
it's dangerous but in this case with
everything that we have now is 1000
times lower it's a thousand times lower
than that red line absolutely in this
measurement as a conservative estimate
we are doing a maximum value of how much
is its emitting it need not be emitting
that all the time it could be just a
pulse that appears and vanishes off
right so if you average out it could
even be less than that absolutely so can
we take a look at other places around
the house just to check that it's safe
too absolutely okay you could do that
yeah let's do that this way please yeah
thank you
let's see if we get any kind of a
reading
across measurements from my living room
workstation and study room still way
below the red line prof venkat found out
that the readings were at least 100
times below the safety standard
so it's good to know that the house is
actually really quite safe that's right
steve we have measured at various
locations and we are well below the
safety guidelines it makes me feel a lot
better absolutely and besides that as we
move away from a signal source the
signal strength is going to get even
more much weaker
and when it comes to radiation
protection distance is our friend really
yes and i have set up something for you
to show you that let's go and see that
okay sure let's go
so what we have set up here is a
transmitter that transmits at a certain
frequency of 2.8 gigahertz to avoid
other rf emf signals around us
influencing our experiment
proffvenken has set up a transmitter to
generate a radio signal that is not
taken up by any other devices around us
at 2.8 gigahertz this signal is at a
frequency that is much higher than the
typical wi-fi signals that our phones
receive from internet routers
so we are having the same probe that we
used in your house to see what is the
strength when it is up close to the
transmitter which is 50 centimeters away
and we see a value that is hovering
around 100 micro watts per meter square
that's right if we wait to double the
distance say from 50 centimeters if we
move to a distance of one meter
then we see that almost by a factor of
four it goes down to poor around 25
micro watts per meter square wow that's
a big difference that's right in fact
when we double the distance the power
density goes down by a factor of four
theoretically
so if we move back
further time that's right let's say we
move from one meter to two meter we see
that it goes as low as even below 10 uh
microwatts per meter square wow okay so
really distance is key here absolutely
what about
all of us who carry our phones in our
pockets and i've got mine here in my
back pocket that's definitely no
distance at all how safe is that yeah
when your phone is in the idle mode it
is typically doing some kind of
signaling and that is going to be in a
very low power mode when you are in an
active call that's when the phone
transmits back to the base station and
it's going to be operating in a higher
power level yet below the safety
guidelines
and and sometimes on the phone after
about you know five to eight minutes it
starts getting really warm is that a
sign that also more radiation is being
emitted uh not necessarily the battery
also emits heat and there are other
factors that can cause the phone to get
heated up as well not necessarily due to
art of radiation okay and if you're
really concerned about a radiation
exposure we can see from this
demonstration that distance is your
friend so you can help keep the phone
further away maybe have it in a
hands-free mode so that you can use it
with your headphones it's a relief to
know that i'm relatively safe from
radiation exposure
and that distancing myself from my
electronic devices will help to reduce
the exposure further but as i dig more
into this issue i found a professor who
claims that i am not as safe as i think
i am
there are a lot of important questions
to be asked about mobile phone radiation
today without any doubt
but the reality is we're not asking
those questions
dr devra davis has been fighting for
greater transparency on rf emf radiation
for 13 years
i'm making a video called to wyoming
where she's based at let me be clear
the limits that we have now that are 25
years old are not protective of human
health now that's obviously out of date
the latest evidence indicates that cell
phone and wireless radiation is a human
carcinogen studies have found that
people who use phones regularly for 10
years or more
have a doubled or greater risk of
developing rare malignant tumor of the
brain called glioblastoma
according to dr davis this is the risk
you're exposed to as long as you're on
the phone for 17 minutes or more a day
every day for 10 years or about 1 000
hours in your lifetime
who's most vulnerable the ones that are
most vulnerable are the elderly and
those with pre-existing morbidities
whether it's diabetes
or immunocompromised and we know that
the younger a person is the more
vulnerable they will be a child's head
has a thinner skull a child's skull can
absorb 10 times more radiation i have
seen so many toddlers with phones in
their mouth with phones held close
bodies and that is just inappropriate
that's why our group environmental
health trust has been working so
diligently to get information out to
schools parents and teachers so they'll
understand
tablets belong on tables
ideally they should be wired you can
wire your connections to most of these
things
and they don't need to be on 24 7
in the routers what do you think you
know should be changed well in israel
and in france and in belgium and a lot
of european countries phones come
with information about the radiation
right on the phone that i think is
absolutely essential and frankly it
should not be used much by children for
now the wa joe's limit is 10 watts per
meter square
when i asked dr davis what would be a
more accurate limit she didn't have
specifics
what she wanted was for the who to
review their current limits
meanwhile some countries have taken
steps to protect children pregnant women
and immunocompromised individuals
for example canada israel and belgium
all have lost prohibiting mobile phone
advertising to young children below the
age of 14.
in france labels and cell phone cases
come with warnings about radiation as
well as instructions to keep the device
away from the abdomen of pregnant women
earlier i sent five of the most popular
phone models to a lab to find out how
much radiation they missed
i'm about to find out the results
i'll also reveal if any of these
anti-radiation devices actually work
oh that's some effect
so a few days ago i sent some of our
most popular phone models to find out
how much radiation each one emits the
safety limit adopted by the who is 10
watts per meter square and while
authorities ensure that phones like this
must meet rf radiation safety
requirements i do still wonder what kind
of radiation we're looking at on each of
these devices
the results are in
the good news is that all five phones
measure between 26.4 milliwatts and 47
milliwatts
one thousand milliwatts make up one watt
which means that these numbers are at
least a hundred times below the safety
limit
all of them are within the safety limit
so it shouldn't be a concern
but for people who are still concerned
about
radiation they can reduce the amount of
time they're using their phone maybe
shut it off at night
and use a speaker mode while making a
call this increase the distance between
you and your phone
and then all these are simple measures
which can reduce rf
exposure
still some of us may want to play it
extra safe which is why i brought along
these
we're going to be testing a variety of
anti-radiation products
from the cheapest stickers which sell
for just two singapore dollars to
products that protect the most
vulnerable kids and pregnant women
a maternity belly band for fourteen
dollars
and a beanie that is meant to protect
the heads of babies from radiation for
twenty dollars
there's also this bracelet that claims
to protect you from all rf emfs
generated by electricity it costs 68
these products are according to more
than four retailers i contacted the best
selling ones right now okay so over here
we have a pair of transmitter and
receiver we are going to put different
products in between and we are going to
see whether the signal received here
will be blocked or not
now the value is around
-24 db so this is the baseline let's try
the all-powerful sticker okay so let's
put the sticker here
so the value is around the same okay no
difference what does that mean it
doesn't affect the signal quality over
here it doesn't work
next let's look at this bracelet okay
so it was around 25 to begin with and
again no change no change
okay so this doesn't work too next this
beanie which they say for babies to wear
to help keep their heads protected
oh that's some effect so went down from
-25 to -31 is that a significant drop
actually the signal power received here
drops and i think as we can see from the
label of this baby cap there's some
metallic material that reflected the
signal so it works in a similar way as
this metal plate if i put it here
you see the signal power drops
significantly
okay so essentially it's putting a metal
in between yes the signal and you yes
correct
anti-radiation devices usually feature a
metal piece that acts as a shield to
reflect radiation waves
it works in reducing the rf exposure but
i have to say this is the extra
precaution that you can have
to further reduce the rf radiation okay
and now we have this one it's a wrap
it's called belly armor okay so first of
all let's set up the baseline for
measuring this okay now it's -25 so
let's put this thing here
and the reading is still around the same
yeah no significant difference at all it
doesn't offer any kind of protection so
it's belly armor but it's not very good
so back to our last one this little cube
here which they say if you put it in the
proximity of where the radiation is it's
just going to absorb all the radiation
let's go and test it out okay
[Music]
so this shows that this product here is
not affected to block away the signal
so should i worry about radiation
exposure from wireless devices around me
well despite what this says i've learned
that we are relatively safe from them
all these devices are designed to meet
international safety guidelines but to
be extra safe i think i'm still going to
limit my exposure when i can
and as far as these anti-radiation
devices are concerned well not all of
them do their job so the best thing i
can do is to keep a distance from active
devices
like by using a hands-free kit when i'm
making a call or simply limiting the
time spent on my phone
hello
[Music]
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