• Question: when sitting infront of a computer, how long will it take until the radiation becomes dangerous or cancerous?

    Asked by annabellake to Amy, Drew, Julia, Kimberley, Sara on 21 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Drew Rae

      Drew Rae answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      Annabella. Here’s some good news. Computer monitors and tv screens don’t give off any measurable amount of dangerous radiation.

    • Photo: Julia Griffen

      Julia Griffen answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      Super news… if not IAS questions woudl ave to come with a health warning!!!

      Good tought tho Anna!

    • Photo: Sara Imari Walker

      Sara Imari Walker answered on 18 Jun 2011:

      Drew’s right. Computer monitors and tv’s don’t give off enough radiation to harm us, and its not at the right frequency (for example UV, which is what causes skin cancer from over exposure to the Sun, isn’t emitted from your computer screen). So we’re safe! Whew! Like Amy, I am REALLY glad we don’t have to worry about it given all the time we spend with IAS questions!

      Nice work Annabella! This was a fun one to think about =)

    • Photo: Amy MacQueen

      Amy MacQueen answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi Annabellake!

      All electronic devices will emit radiation to some extent but even light which allows us to read our computer screens is a form of radiation and we wouldn’t generally consider light to be harmful. There is much uncertainty about whether radiation from electronic devices causes health problems and how serious these might be. Much of the problem with research in this area is that only in the last few years have computers and other devices become so prevalent so it is very difficult to study the long term effects of their use.

      🙂

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