Specific absorption rate levels measured in a phantom head exposed to radio frequency transmissions from analog hand-held mobile phones.
Anderson V, Joyner KH · 1995
View Original AbstractCell phones deliver measurable radiation to eyes and brain tissues, with metal glasses increasing eye absorption by up to 29%.
Plain English Summary
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 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
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},
}