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is this anti-science, since microwaves are non-ionizing therefore cannot cause cancer or any other ill effect at low doses?
by smegsicle 5y ago
is this anti-science, since microwaves are non-ionizing therefore cannot cause cancer or any other ill effect at low doses?
- tlavoie 5y agoFrom, well, reading the article, I'd say no.
- BizarroLand 5y agoYeah, this article is more for people who had a random thought about the dangers of microwaves and wanted to see if there was any truth to it. It should put you at ease to know that as long as you don't microwave yourself there isn't much to worry about.
- somebodynew 5y agoThe article seems to be focused on the potential risk of interfering with medical devices using the same frequencies for communication. The more obvious danger of a microwave oven is that you must not stick your hand inside a microwave with a defective door sensor while it is running as it will cause heating in the same way that it can boil a cup of water. I will note, however, that the statement "microwaves are non-ionizing" does not automatically imply the common follow-up that "the absorption of microwaves cannot have any chemical effect other than indirectly through heating". This is evident, for example, in that proteins in the human eye undergo a chemical change in response to absorbing non-ionizing red light. Whether there is such a thing as a non-thermally microwave-driven chemical reaction is an open question in chemistry [1]. I feel the need to clarify as an addendum that nothing in this post suggests any danger associated with the use of low power microwave radiation from consumer wireless communication electronics. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-thermal_microwave_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-thermal_microwave_effect
- moltke 5y agoCareful observation and investigation is never "anti-science" by definition.
- j15t 5y agoNon-ionizing radiation is certainly able to have effects on biological systems, and there is no reason to believe that effects are strictly neutral or positive. Calling these facts 'anti-science' is blatantly asinine.
- mjbeswick 5y agoCooking food by frying or grilling is probably much more of a health risk, not accounting for food being heated in plastic packaging.