mobile phones and brain tumours?

[Lewis A]

why do some people think that mobile phones cause brain tumours etc. i think it has something to do with the mobile phones sending out radiowaves that are so close to microwaves???????

please no one tell me theres no real evidence because i know about that and im doing a science case study weighting up the risks etc

please help
Thanks for you answer david s but could i please have a little more explination please

[David S]

All transmitting devices carry a very slight risk, mobile phones do appear to carry a higher risk as people are holding them so close all the time and use them for such a lot of the time. You will never get correct information because mobile phone companies are big business and support governments.

[old know all]

Not many people actually understand radio waves or microwaves. The microwaves used for cooking are at a high power (between 500 and 1,000 watts) and are at a resonant frequency of the hydoxyl ion - found in water and most organic substances. They are therefore readily absorbed by the food and make it hot.

A mobile phone doesn't make a very good microwave oven because it has very low power (typically 0.1 watts) and it's the wrong frequency. So even if you hold one to your ear, very little radiation is actually absorbed by your body.

Prolonged use of mobile phones does cause a detectable warming of the ear and the brain - although not as much as a hot shower. It's possible that there could be long term health problems, but so far nothing of significance has been demonstrated.