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Specific absorption rate levels measured in a phantom head exposed to radio frequency transmissions from analog hand-held mobile phones.

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Anderson V, Joyner KH · 1995

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Cell phones deliver measurable radiation to eyes and brain tissues, with metal glasses increasing eye absorption by up to 29%.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Scientists measured how much cell phone radiation penetrated a model human head. They found radiation levels of 0.007 to 0.83 watts per kilogram in eyes and brain, with metal glasses increasing eye exposure by 29%. This confirmed phones emit measurable radiation into head tissues.

Why This Matters

This 1995 study represents some of the earliest systematic measurements of how cell phone radiation penetrates human head tissues. What makes this research particularly significant is that it used actual phone models transmitting at full power, not theoretical calculations. The finding that metal-framed glasses can increase eye absorption by nearly 30% reveals how everyday objects can amplify EMF exposure in unexpected ways. While the researchers concluded the SAR levels were below safety standards, it's worth noting that these 1995 standards were based primarily on thermal effects and didn't account for potential biological impacts at lower levels. The science has evolved considerably since then, with hundreds of studies now documenting biological effects at SAR levels well below what causes measurable heating.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.007 to 0.21, 0.12 to 0.83 W/kg

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.007 to 0.21, 0.12 to 0.83 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Slight Concern rangeFCC limit is 229x higher than this level

Study Details

Electric fields (E-fields) induced within a phantom head from exposure to three different advanced mobile phone system (AMPS) hand-held telephones were measured using an implantable E-field probe.

Measurements were taken in the eye nearest the phone and along a lateral scan through the brain from...

The SARs induced in the eye ranged from 0.007 to 0.21 W/kg. Metal-framed spectacles enhanced SAR lev...

Furthermore, a detailed thermal analysis of the eye indicated only a 0.022°C maximum steady-state temperature rise in the eye from a uniform SAR loading of 0.21 W/kg. A more approximate thermal analysis in the brain also indicated only a small maximum temperature rise of 0.034°C for a local SAR loading of 0.83 W/kg

Cite This Study
Anderson V, Joyner KH (1995). Specific absorption rate levels measured in a phantom head exposed to radio frequency transmissions from analog hand-held mobile phones. Bioelectromagnetics 16(1):60-69,1995.
Show BibTeX
@article{v_1995_specific_absorption_rate_levels_823,
  author = {Anderson V and Joyner KH},
  title = {Specific absorption rate levels measured in a phantom head exposed to radio frequency transmissions from analog hand-held mobile phones.},
  year = {1995},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.2250160112},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.2250160112},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.2250160112

Cited By (85 papers)

View all 85 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, cell phone radiation does penetrate brain tissue. A 1995 study using a model human head found radiation levels of 0.12 to 0.83 watts per kilogram in brain tissue, with highest levels closest to the phone. However, these levels remained below safety standards.
Cell phones emit measurable radiation into eye tissues, with levels ranging from 0.007 to 0.21 watts per kilogram in this study. The radiation caused only a tiny 0.022°C temperature increase, suggesting minimal thermal damage risk under normal use conditions.
Metal-framed glasses can increase radiation exposure to your eyes by 9-29% according to research. The metal frames appear to enhance the absorption of radio frequency energy from cell phones, though levels still remained within established safety guidelines.
Cell phone radiation does penetrate head tissues including the brain and eyes. A 1995 study found measurable absorption levels, but these remained below safety standards and caused minimal temperature increases of less than 0.04°C in affected tissues.
Cell phones emit 0.007 to 0.83 watts per kilogram of radiation into head tissues, with brain receiving higher levels than eyes. These measurements from a 1995 phantom head study stayed within established safety limits despite confirming radiation penetration.