Electric Shock

CNN reported that a woman in China was electrocuted while answering a phone call when her phone was charging. While the odds are very low, it is possible that something in the wall unit’s wiring can interact with a defective charger, causing an electric arc. If the person is wet – as the Chinese woman was, after leaving her bath to answer the phone – then the conductivity of the water combined with a defective charger, faulty wiring and a frayed cord may combine for the perfect storm.

Cell Phone Cancer Risks?

A cell phone emits radiofrequency energy (also known as radio waves). As you hold it to your ear, tissues can absorb this energy. As the cell phone becomes more and more a part of your body and frequently used for all sorts of tasks, you likely absorb more and more of this energy. There are no definitive long-term studies on what this exposure to non-ionizing radiation can do to the body. However, some studies have shown that there are effects from cell phone use, albeit minor ones involving tissues metabolizing body glucose. Most studies have shown no effect, but a limited number have produced some evidence of cell phone use correlated with brain tumor risks. These studies have largely been dismissed but cannot be discounted.

Distracted Walking

Many people have taken to walking down the street and paying close attention to their cell phone, whether through talking or texting. If there’s a pothole, open hole or oncoming traffic, the cell phone holder may not see it.