Opinions of Sunday, 26 June 2011

Columnist: Adjei, Eunice Achiaa

Mobile Phone: A Blessing Or A Curse?

Mobile phones have become ubiquitous in our society. In fact, telephones have been around for several decades in some form or another tracing back to the invention of telephone way back in 1870s by Alxendar Graham Bell. Alexander Graham Bell's success with the design of telephone came as a direct result of his attempts to improve the telegraph which was the most widely used electronic communication device.

The technology began to take shape in the late 1940s, when the idea of a mobile phone was introduced. Mobile phones are looked upon as a modern invention. However, their origin can be traced to the time when radio messages began to be captured successfully. .

Just about 20-30 years ago, people always wanted a device which could connect them with their families, business associates and loved ones all around the world at any given time possible. But as people always love innovation Motorola made the World’s first ever Mobile Phone. Nobody at that time could imagine that a device like a mobile phone could keep them connected, on the go to their loved ones despite being kilometers away.

Arguably, mobiles phones have become one of the best gifts that humanity has ever received in the twenty first century because of its numerous benefits. It is a fact that having a mobile phone nowadays is a sort of a necessity and it is an inevitable truth that the mobile industry is taking everyone by storm. A mobile phone is a device with so many advantages contributing convenient living for both the old and young generations.

Apart from serving as a great medium in telling lies (i.e. both caller and receiver can be deceived since one cannot tell where exactly the other person is), there are so many advantages to the user. This includes keeping you in constant contact with people you consider important, helps you seek help immediately during emergency cases, and gives a sense of being financially uplifted in the past, lessen your boredom, example listening to your favorite music and as well as watching movies through downloading. Also the mobile phone can be used to take wonderful pictures of both happy sad moments as well as aiding studies through the use of the internets features on the phone.

But, is everything about the mobile phone a blessing? Recently, a division of the World Health Organization (WHO) classified cell phones as a "possible carcinogen." This means that though no definite link has been established between cell phone use and some form of cancer, there's enough evidence that the group believes more research is needed. Other "possible carcinogens," according to the WHO, include lead, exhaust from gasoline engines, chloroform, and coffee. But the report stated clearly that cell or mobile phones radiation might cause cancer to the human brain. The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer has now tied mobile phone radiation to an increased risk for “glioma brain tumors”.

Thirty one scientists from 14 countries, including the United States, spent a week poring over existing studies of which they added radio frequency electromagnetic fields to a long list of "possibly carcinogenic". At the high end of the scale, ionizing, solar, and ultraviolet radiation were classified as "carcinogenic." Wireless phone radiation falls into the third five ranked categories. Given the current state of the available evidence, what do you think? Will you still express contempt to the warnings, or are you worried? Will you change the rules about your kids’ cell phone use because of this? What about your cell phone use? Will you limit your own talking on the cell? One would also prefer to be the new age “Doubting Thomas "who will refuse to believe everything without direct, physical, personal evidence

May be you can consider my advice, though it may be difficult in order not for you to turn the mobile phone into a killing machine as proven by science. Nevertheless these tips from my views may help reduce your radiation exposure, if you really prefer to exercise caution; Use a Headset Headsets will help reduce radiation exposure than from a phone pressed to your ear. Another option is to use your speakerphone (behind closed doors, please). If using the phone without a headset, wait for the call to connect before placing the phone next to the ear Text, Don't Talk Text messaging involves less radiation than does making a phone call. (Just don't text while walking, since bumping your head will hurt you much more quickly than any wireless radiation might.)

Turn It Off Even if you check your work e-mail at midnight, there's little need to keep your phone turned on 24/7. (The science may be unclear on mobile phone radiation, but stress and sleep deprivation clearly harm your health.) Instead of keeping your handset by your pillow for a wake-up call, use a dedicated alarm clock. No calls when charging Allow your phone to charge fully and return calls later. Better still switch it off before you are tempted to pick when a call comes through whilst charging.

Indeed, mobile phones has contributed immensely to our lives but the blessing and the curse of it turned out to be in the way it has enabled us to live in our own virtual community and the disciplinary measures lined for ourselves in the usage of it.

Eunice Achiaa Adjei