Last year, Apple sold about 15 million AirPods. Airpods are very common in our community and are still gaining popularity. These small devices that cost about $150 use Bluetooth radiation so that no cord is needed to connect the headphones to your device. In order to do that, Bluetooth devices use radio-frequency (RF) radiation. Scientists are concerned with all kinds of electronic devices  such as AirPods, cell phones, WiFi devices, baby monitors, and broadcast antennas, that emit non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, which is a type of electromagnetic radiation that does not have enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules. The question that has arisen is: are these little devices affecting your chances of developing brain cancer?

Currently, there is no conclusive evidence about this claim, but many scientists have been researching this topic. For instance, Jerry Phillips, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, is a biochemist who has studied DNA damage from electromagnetic fields. His research suggests it’s possible, but not definite, that electromagnetic-field activity might be affecting human DNA in a harmful way and that people should limit their exposure as a result. He also expressed his concern for the location of AirPods in the ear canal, which exposes tissues in the head to relatively high levels of RF radiation. Furthermore, in 2015, more than 200 international scientists expressed their serious concern to the United Nations and the World Health Organization about the non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF). This letter did not specifically mention Bluetooth devices or headphones, however, the scientists behind the letter are concerned about all kinds of electronics that emit non-ionizing electromagnetic fields.

This article is not just about AirPods. There are many other bluetooth earphones and listening devices made by other companies that also use radio-frequency radiation. Scientists are still in the process of researching and can not say for sure if wireless technology is completely harm-free. Most other scientists still hesitate to say there is conclusive evidence that the small doses of radiation from cellphones and Bluetooth headsets are dangerous.

There is not really any evidence that radio-frequency (RF) radiation can lead to brain cancer or non cancerous brain tumors in humans. However, there is much more conclusive evidence that constant exposure to loud noises can cause non-cancerous acoustic neuroma tumors that lead to hearing damage, as well as constant ringing in the ears. If this happens, you might need to put a different kind of wireless technology into your ears: a hearing aid.

Sources:

https://www.emfscientist.org/index.php/emf-scientist-appeal

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19264461

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/radiation_nonionizing/

https://www.businessinsider.com/do-airpods-cause-cancer-2019-3

https://qz.com/1572885/the-truth-behind-claims-airpods-cause-cancer/

https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/why-business-leaders-should-pay-attention-to-claim-apple-airpods-could-cause-cancer-even-if-they-dont.html