Hi Everyone! Welcome back to another year of fun facts and blurbs that you just may not know until you read about them right here! I am going to start this year off revealing the dirty secrets about cell phones and if they are really all that necessary for survival. As many of us know, cell phones are growing rapidly in popularity, especially those cutting-edge, ultra-thin, RAZRs. Now, almost every teen owns one, two, or even three cell phones at one time! However, recent studies suggest that just one cell phone alone can be debilitating to your health in the long run. Dr. George Carlo, an epidemiologist and medical scientist from the University of New York at Buffalo, outlines three major health concerns of cell phones that we should all be aware of.

1. Cell phones have been shown to increase the likelihood of developing malignant brain tumors. By what way and how is this possible? Electromagnetic radiation emitted from the headsets of cell phones, collected from the towers themselves, have been shown, in a number of scientific tests, to spur the genetic alterations of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) within the brain, leading to brain damage.

2. Cell phones have been cited to lead to deafness after many years of use. How could your cell phone make you deaf? The reason is that radiofrequency radiation heats up body tissue both on the exterior and interior, similar to a microwave. Therefore, carrying any conversation longer than twenty minutes on a cell phone basically fries the tissues inside your ear and ultimately, the tissues and cells of the brain, therefore hindering and impairing your ability to hear well.

3. Finally, cell phones cause sleep deprivation. The reason is simple… cell phones are just plain convenient; too convenient! Various studies and polls show that over sixty percent of all teens either talk or text message on their cell phones after bedtime, sometimes up until two in the morning. In addition, lack of sleep has been shown to lower performance on tests and increase grumpiness in teens.

Therefore, after knowing the facts at this point, the question still remains… is it really all that necessary to own a cell phone? It does serve as a great tool in the event of emergencies and when having to get directions. However, you do not have to spend every waking moment depending on it. As a suggestion, just take a step back and bring yourself back into reality. Always remember these three, eye-opening facts for the next time you pick up that cell phone.