Are AirPods bad for your health?
Most people can’t imagine life without their AirPods. They have become an integral part of the urban landscape, and it’s no wonder – AirPods are much more convenient to use than their wired predecessors. However, it’s important to remain critical, as in this article, we’ll discuss why AirPods may potentially be harmful to your health.
Why are there concerns?
Concerns about AirPods arose after more than 250 scientists from 40 countries signed a petition addressed to the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. They expressed their concerns regarding AirPods, particularly focusing on exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by these devices.
Why is this radiation potentially harmful?
It’s important to understand that there are two types of radiation: Ionising and non-ionising. Ionising radiation includes X-rays and CT scans, which have been proven detrimental to health, so it’s best to minimise exposure.
The radiation emitted by AirPods is non-ionising radiation. Initially, it was suggested that non-ionising radiation does not have enough power to break chemical bonds (damage DNA). However, in 2018, a study was published showing that non-ionising radiation can cause cancer in rats. While humans are far from rats, it is worth further investigation. This study demonstrates that non-ionising radiation can damage DNA, which was previously denied.
It simply cannot be proven yet
Unfortunately, AirPods have only been around for about seven years, while studies often take much longer. Therefore, it cannot currently be concluded whether AirPods are safe or unsafe. Consequently, there is no established ‘safe dose of radiation’ that one can be exposed to daily. Apple claims that the radiation emitted by AirPods remains within safety limits and does not cause DNA damage. Naturally, everyone hopes this is true, but we simply cannot be certain. We don’t know if and at what dose it could potentially be harmful.
Is there any advice?
Due to the lack of conclusive research results, it is difficult to provide a clear recommendation, so we will refrain from doing so. Since AirPods have not yet been classified as harmful, it may indeed be safe to use them. On the other hand, you may not want to keep something close to your brain that could turn out to be carcinogenic in a few years. It’s an incredibly challenging dilemma: Continue using AirPods and enjoy their convenience or return to wired headphones to err on the side of caution regarding DNA damage – the decision is yours. Make the choice that you feel comfortable with.
