Life is what happens while you try to untangle your headphones. Very discreet, easy to use, and light, wireless headphones have been a real success since they were introduced to the market more than three years ago.
The advancement of technology allows us to be more and more comfortable and, in this case, cable-free, but there is doubt about whether the audio quality is impaired when using wireless headphones. This and other top 5 headphone myths we’ll try to debunk or confirm today.
If you’ve had or still have wired headphones, you know what we’re talking about. For a second you put them down or put them away, and when you take them out the wire is so tangled that you have to spend several minutes carefully untangling them. What a mess, you might think. But this dilemma has been addressed thanks to the Bluetooth technology that now brings wireless headphones to the widest range of consumers.
Although with this comes another dilemma: how good are they? Are they worth spending money on? Are they harmless to human health? Many myths and doubts have been raised about them, and we want to feed you a little information.
Wireless headphones and radiation
We know that mobile phones emit radiation, and although Bluetooth headphones do too, they emit 65 to 70 percent less than cell phones, and they emit only about 0.001 watts per kilogram (for the body to absorb dangerous radiation, they must exceed the amount of 1.6 watts per kilogram) so they are far from being precisely a danger to your health.
However, what is recommended and that is even in the fine print of some cell phone brands, is that you keep your mobile phone away from the ear, yes, it sounds illogical, but it is real, its radio frequencies are high and could reach to be counterproductive to health, so it is recommended that you use your hands-free more often or that you activate the speaker when you speak.
So, it’s probably a good idea to get your own Bluetooth headphones, as even some of the newer smartphones don’t even come with a conventional headphone cable jack. So, if you want yours, consider buying them with everything and a built-in microphone so you can answer your calls, so it is better to keep the cell phone away from your ear.
Practical, they avoid being encumbered by a wire while listening to music or calling. Today, many brands have entered a booming market. It is thus possible to find them at all prices and intended for all uses, whether for sport or to be isolated from noise. But are these wireless headphones really recommended? Do they present risks to our health?
250 scientists warn about wireless tech
This is a wake-up call from many scientists from 40 different countries. They have joined forces in a petition to the United Nations and WHO to warn of the significant risks that wireless earbuds radiation represent. A petition that they had already published in 2015 and that they have just updated.
The 250 scientists focused on studying the biological and medical effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) from wireless devices. Among them, we find mobile phones in general, but also WIFI, baby phones, and wireless headphones.
EMF waves
These are particularly singled out for being the most recent and no warning about them has yet been made. Their proximity to the brain is the main concern of researchers. In fact, these work by Bluetooth and are held directly in the ear canal and near the brain longer than a telephone since they allow both making calls and listening to music. They would, therefore, release high levels of EMF waves.
Scientists believe that exposure to EMF waves increases the risk of cancer or genetic damage. It could also cause changes in the reproductive system, learning disabilities, and other neurological disorders. Risks that human beings are not the only ones to run.
The petition also emphasizes that these technologies would have harmful effects on all living things, animals and plants included “the damage goes far beyond the human species: clear evidence, and more and more, shows the harmful effects of waves on ALL.
What about long-term exposure?
Although a commission exists to combat the harmful effects of non-ionizing radiation (ICNIRP), their recommendations would not be sufficient since they do not take into account long-term exposure.
Although the scientific body has been warning the public for several years about the risks posed by the use or mere presence of smartphones and other technologies based on non-ionizing electromagnetic fields, the popularity of these products has continued to grow.
Interesting related article: “What is Wireless Technology?”