This man claims he can prove your wireless headphones emit too much radiation. But there’s more to the story than that.
As technology continues to be ever-present and often necessary in our everyday lives, some start to wonder if there are secondary side effects to these devices that we just don’t know about because they’re so new.
It’s like how we once had no clue lead paint and asbestos were harmful, only to later discover the harmful side effects.
But experts say we know enough about radiation to understand what is and isn’t dangerous.
Wireless vs. wired headphones, radiation edition
In a viral Instagram video from a reposting account (@healthwealthmindandspirit), a man shares why he thinks you should choose wired headphones over wireless.
“Radiation right into your brain,” the man says.
Sitting down was his daughter wearing Apple AirPods. The man pointed a radiation detector (known as a Geiger counter, which you can get online for $10 to $20) at her ear area, and the detector showed the number 22-24.
The man claimed the number went up to 35 “a second ago.”
He claimed that was the amount of radiation going “directly into her brain.”
As he moved away from her, the number dropped to nearly 0.
He then held wired earphones, which were disconnected and not in use, up to the device. It also detected “virtually nothing.”
We’re curious to know if that number would have been different if the device was actually in use. Seems like an inconsistent experiment.
“Over 140, 150, 160 times the amount of radiation with wireless earphones versus wired,” he concluded.
In the caption, he claimed radiation can lead to brain tumors and warned that people should be cautious about radiation near the brain.
“I’m not saying to worry excessively, but if there’s a safer option, why not consider it?”
He also went on to promote consultation and sea moss.
AirPods’ dangerous radiation debunked
Yes, there is radiation emitted by Bluetooth devices, but scientists say it isn’t cause to worry, Health.com reported.
The first thing you need to understand is that there are two types of radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing.
Non-ionizing radiation can move atoms around but can’t remove electrons from them. Because it has less energy and can’t produce ions, it is less harmful to your health. This type of radiation can heat substances. It’s the same type used in microwaves.
Ionizing radiation, on the other hand, has high energy and can remove electrons from atoms, causing ionization. Ionizing radiation is what’s found in X-rays and radioactive waste. It can damage your tissue and DNA, and the damaged cells could become cancerous.
Wireless headphones have non-ionizing radiation and are not currently considered cancer-causing. However, the scientific community acknowledges that more studies are needed to understand the health effects of this radiation, especially when emitted from cell phones.
What do viewers think about AirPods?
“That radiation level is so low – you don’t know what you are talking about,” a top comment read.
“Now I will stop eating bananas because they also contain radiation,” a person said.
“Absolute scare mongering BS! ‘The emitted radiation from Bluetooth headphones is not considered harmful and is well below the safety limits set by regulatory authorities,” another chimed in.
The Daily Dot reached out to @healthwealthmindandspirit via Instagram direct message and comment to get in contact with the original poster.
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