Fact Check: Ear buds do not emit harmful radiation that are dangerous to human brain

Some social media users are creating videos on social media with the claim that earbuds emit the electromagnetic frequency and emit same frequency as the microwave ovens. These radiations are very dangerous to the human brain. These posts advise the audience to throw away their earbuds.

Here is the archive link of the claim.

Fact check:

The claim is False. The EMF radiation released by the Earbuds is completely different from that of the Microwave oven.

When we searched for the type of radiation emitted by the earbuds, we found that these earbuds use Bluetooth technology, which operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM spectrum band (2400 to 2483.5 MHz). This technology allows for wireless communication between the earbuds and your device (phone, tablet, etc.). While this technology is considered safe by the scientific community, it does emit radiofrequency radiation. The amount of radiofrequency radiation emitted by Bluetooth devices varies, and not all devices emit the same amount.

Since the beginning of the universe, the sun has sent out waves that create EMFs, or radiation. At the same time, the sun sends out EMFs, we can see its energy radiating out. This is visible light. At the turn of the 20th century, electric power lines and indoor lighting spread across the world. Scientists realized that the power lines supplying all that energy to the world’s population were sending off EMFs, just like the sun does naturally. Over the years, scientists learned that many of the emerging electrical appliances also create EMFs. As the medical world advanced, much of its diagnostic and treatment equipment, like imaging devices for X-rays and CT scans, were also found to make EMFs.

Today, 90 percent of the world’s population has access to electricity and uses electrical appliances. That means lots of electricity and EMFs are created around the world. But even with all those waves, scientists generally don’t think EMFs are a health concern. EMF exposure intensity decreases as you increase your distance from the object that’s sending out waves. Some common sources of EMFs that emit varying levels of radiation include the following:

Non-ionizing radiation

• microwave ovens
• computers
• smart meters
• wireless (Wi-Fi) routers
• cellphones
• Bluetooth devices
• power lines
• MRI machines

Ionizing radiation

• UV radiation comes naturally from the sun, and from man-made sources like tanning beds, phototherapy, and welding torches
• X-rays and gamma rays- This type of radiation comes from both natural and human-made sources. Natural sources include radon gas, the earth’s radioactive elements, and cosmic rays that hit the earth from beyond the solar system. Human-made sources include medical X-rays and CT scans and cancer treatment.

According to experts, exposure to ionizing radiation is a known risk factor for cancer. Ionizing radiation has enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms and molecules, creating charged particles that can damage or break DNA strands. Over time, this damage can accumulate and lead to mutations that increase the risk of cancer. In fact, ionizing radiation is a well-established cause of several types of cancer, including leukemia, thyroid cancer, and lung cancer.

However, do wireless earbuds cause cancer? Not really, the risk of developing cancer from low-level exposure to non-ionizing radiation, such as the type of radiation emitted by Bluetooth devices, is still not clear. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classify radiofrequency radiation as a "possible carcinogen," which means there is limited evidence linking it to cancer in humans and further research is needed to fully understand the potential risks.

Eventhough the research about the Bluetooth devices is still ongoing, it is advisable to use Bluetooth headphones or wireless ear buds responsibly. Using them all day and at maximum volume is not advisable, as it might increase the risk of hearing damage.

Fact checking organisations like THIP, reuters also debunked the claim and proved that the ear buds do not pose significant health risk on human brain.

Therefore, World health agencies and Scientists state that the non-ionizing radiation emitted by the Bluetooth devices like ear buds is not harmful. The claim is False. The radiation emitted by the ear buds is completely different from microwave ovens.