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Federal scientists released partial findings Friday from a $25 million animal study that tested the possibility of links between cancer and chronic exposure to the type of radiation emitted from cell phones and wireless devices. The findings, which chronicle an unprecedented number of rodents subjected to a lifetime of electromagnetic radiation, present some of the strongest evidence to date that such exposure is associated with the formation of rare cancers in at least two cell types in the brains and hearts of rats.
There are some major caveats, though. The results were only observed in male rats; there weren't any significant effects seen in female rats. Exposure in utero didn't seem to affect cancer risk. And in male rats, the incidence of those two cancers was quite low. But even a small increase in the incidence of those cancers could have a major public health impact given how many people in the world regularly use cell phones.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 28 2016, @11:22AM
The problem is too many scientists nowadays don't do research and science to try to find out the truth but do it to get funding or because they need something to publish ;).
Oh, I'm quite sure most scientists start out trying to find the truth, but they either 1) get really good at making up bogus commercial applications or over-the-top publishable claims, 2) start doing commercially viable research, or 3) get fired and are not scientists any more. It's not a problem with scientists, it's a problem with society.
Anecdotal example. I'm a doctoral student, so people often ask me what my research is (it's simulations of space plasma, btw). Most scientists and other students (i.e. academia) then start discussing it or something. Everyone else, without exception, first asks "where will that be useful?" Every fucking goddamn person, from businessmen and random schmucks to my parents. Why the fuck does it matter? It's cool, it's interesting - ain't that enough of a reason to do it? I have some enthusiastic template answer about how it's gonna help spaceships and satellites or something, but it's mostly bull to be honest. Luckily, those who ask me that don't have enough scientific background to see that it's bull. As you can see, I'm hoping to master the number 1 from the above list.
Honestly, those who want every piece of research to have immediately obvious applications should go back to the caves and leave us to advance in piece. I'm sure fire didn't seem all that useful at first, either.