Sat 22 Nov 2008

RSS Feed

Edited by Paul Hales

Published by Incisive Media Investments Ltd.

Terms and Conditions of use.

To advertise in Europe e-mail here

To advertise in Asia email here.

To advertise in North America email here.

Join the INQbot Mail List for a weekly guide to our news stories:

Subscribe

Mobile phones kill sperm

Is that a phone in your pocket?

SPERM HAS YET another enemy – this time it’s none other than your trusty device, the mobile phone.

That’s right, the Cleveland Clinic is now saying that keeping your mobile phone in talk-mode and in your pocket can decrease sperm quality – if you’re a man of course.

Ashok Agarwal, the Director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine says that, “We believe that these devices are used because we consider them very safe, but it could cause harmful effects due to the proximity of the phones and the exposure that they are causing to the gonads."

Agarwal's team took semen samples from 32 men and brought them to the lab - we’re hoping this was willingly.

The control group was unexposed to cell phone emissions, but kept under the same conditions and temperature as the test group.

The test group sperm was placed 2.5cm away from a 850MHz phone in talk mode for one hour, as this is supposedly the most commonly used frequency – they recon 2.5cm is the distance between ball and pocket, although we guess this depends on how well you’re endowed.

Agarwal says that, "On average, there was an 85 percent increase in the amount of free radicals for all the subjects in the study. Free radicals have been linked to a variety of diseases in humans including cancer " – so not good news, then.

The sperm specialists do admit that the study had limitations however, such as the sample size – they also said that test tube doesn’t allow the same protection that the pertinent bits of the human body might offer – well, indeed. µ

L'Inq
CNN

Comments

Ummm...

What exactly do they mean by "talk-mode"... If they mean talking on the phone, then who in their right mind has the phone in their pocket when they're talking? Call me a rebel, but I prefer to have my phone irradiating my cranium when I'm having a conversation!
posted by : Steve, 22 September 2008

Erm.. headset?

How about using a headset, wired or wireless? I actually have my phone on the side of the hip while talking and walking. I wonder if bluetooth radiation has the same effect. :-/
posted by : anon1mat0, 22 September 2008

"pocket"

Just what kind of pants pocket would place the cell phone a mere 2.5cm away from someone's balls?

Are there pants with pockets on the side of the ZIPPER?
posted by : pixie, 22 September 2008

Re: steve

I think the experiment simulates someone with a bluetooth headset and the phone in their pocket
posted by : Pierre, 22 September 2008

2.5cm?

I can guarantee you that my pocket is a bit further than 2.5cm from my package. How about something a little more reasonable, like 10cm AND having to pass through a leg?
posted by : Dan, 23 September 2008

Why the USA lost the science race

And this passes for science these days?

Guess what, if you put a radiation detector in front of a source of alpha radiation, it'll detect a lot of particles. Put 1/2 mm of skin between the two and it will detect approximately... zero.

Last time I checked, sperm didn't form on the outside of the skin.

I guess we should be glad it's not creationism, but this is definitely not proper science.
posted by : B. Halls, 23 September 2008

for woman, dont hang between boobs to effect milk production

Its obvious not to keep in pocket or between legs while driving and use headset, everyone now knows these waves have enough effect, how much ... is debatable. I will not be surprised to read a news in few days by same guys that, woman... dont hang phone in neck i.e. between boobs to keep milk production at best.
Or pregies dont keep mobile in coat's front pocket ur baby is not interested in ur calls to your whatever.
posted by : mi1400, 23 September 2008

what abou blue tooth

well what about on bluethooth?
you are really screwing with your budies then, because its connected to the tower and the bluetooth piece at the same time. I hate those damn brite blue leds, they light up way too bright. Especially in theater's, another reason to hate mobile phones!
posted by : missingxtension, 23 September 2008

Most trousers?

I can only assume that:

a) the poster is naked
or
b) the poster has no balls

Wearing trousers? Put your hand in your pocket. What can you feel close to the side of your hand? Never heard of the phrase "pocket billiards"?

Standard garment design has the 'side pocket' run around the front of the thigh adjacent to the wedding tackle. So a phone in that pocket could easily be only 2.5cm away.

posted by : Pocket, 23 September 2008

Mobile phones kill sperm...

But only if you club the wriggly wee buggers hard enough wi' the damn things...
posted by : El Zed, 23 September 2008

Phone vs. Sex

Talk about phone sex? Really Ironic...
posted by : phone, 24 September 2008

balls of steel

This calls for a lead chastity belt...
posted by : rob, 24 September 2008

Condoms Vs. CellPhones

An excellent solution to combat over population i.e. China and India. Since condoms are not cool compared to cellphones give them each a cellphone...
posted by : CP, 24 September 2008

Aids a growing problem

The real questions is if this can combat Aids? since we don't have a permanent solution for the epidemic why not take the sperm out of the equation completely.....
posted by : John, 24 September 2008

Calling all healthy sperms

I wonder what the bible has to say about this? Yet another Noah's arch happening. Time to collect the most noblest of sperms and deep freeze them since a flood is evident...
posted by : J. Christ, 24 September 2008

Solution for serial rapists

Yet another reverse vasectomy. A self help-how to, cheap in home solution. Good for serial rapists and heavy Catholics who choose to avoid the condom. STOPS the spread of unwanted seeds/children permanently....
posted by : Serial rapists, 24 September 2008

Womb text message

Birth control pills are over-rated these days. In most cases they are forgotten until you get that call from the doc saying your are pregnant. Here is an alternate solution, have a cellphone talk or send text messages to your unborn child, womb. Chances are s/he will never be born to read any of them.
posted by : Trojan, 24 September 2008

Sperm to sperm chat

Of the millions of sperm in the ejaculated semen, only about 200 actually reach the egg in a woman's fallopian tube. With the newest addition of cellphones what if they were better able to coordinate their attack on the egg with each other. This would at least triple or double the odds.
posted by : Sperm, 24 September 2008

Sperm bank bankruptcy

If this article is correct Sperm banks will soon go out of business. Thus, this would be a high change to get good value for your excess or unwanted sperm. First cum first serve.
posted by : Banker, 24 September 2008

balls for sale, in mint condition

A set of balls for sale. Measures 5cm by 3cm by 2cm. Slightly used but in mint condition. Excellent tool for patients with arthritis or aids in the prevention of tendernits. In addition can also be used in a game of marbles, if you ever run out of glass balls. Place your best offer.
posted by : jack, 24 September 2008
IThound
Search for solutions, reports & analysis

Newsletter signup



 

Top INQ Stories