Mobile Phone Radiation - Does a lower SAR mean that a phone is safer? Krishnan General World Health Organization says Cancer: Current scientific evidence indicates that exposure to RF (Radio Frequency) fields, such as those emitted by mobile phones and their base stations, is unlikely to induce or promote cancers … Other health risks: Scientists have reported other effects of using mobile phones including changes in brain activity, reaction times, and sleep patterns. These effects are small and have no apparent health significance Source: WHO Fact Sheet 193 (June 2000) http://www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/publications/facts_press/efact/efs193.html. In the area of biological effects and medical applications of non-ionizing radiation approximately 25,000 articles have been published over the past 30 years. Despite the feeling of some people that more research needs to be done, scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals. Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields. However, some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research Source: Electromagnetic Fields (EMF). Summary of health effects (2004) http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/index1.html. Read More According to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), specific absorption rate, or SAR, is "a way of measuring the quantity of radiofrequency (RF) energy that is absorbed by the body." For a phone to pass FCC certification, that phone's maximum SAR level must be less than 1.6W/kg (watts per kilogram). Information on Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) values To communicate with the network, mobile phones emit low levels of radio waves (also known as radiofrequency or ?RF? energy) when being used. Governments around the world have adopted comprehensive international safety guidelines, developed by independent scientific organizations, governing the exposure to RF energy. Mobile phones are designed to operate within these stringent limits. What is SAR? SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate, which is the unit of measurement for the amount of RF energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone. The SAR is determined at the highest certified power level in laboratory conditions. However, the actual SAR level of the phone while operating can be well below this value. This is because the phone is designed to use the minimum power required to reach the network. Therefore, the closer you are to a base station, the more likely it is that the actual SAR level will be lower. Does a lower SAR mean that a phone is safer? No. Variations in SAR do not mean that there are variations in safety. While there may be differences in SAR levels among phone models, all mobile phones must meet RF exposure guidelines. To check the SAR of your mobile if it is Nokia : Nokia if it is Sony Ericson : Sony Ericsson Others http://www.mmfai.org/public/sar.cfm?lang=eng Top 10 US mobiles Mobile SAR 1. Motorola V195s 1.6 2. Motorola Slvr L6 1.58 3. Motorola Slvr L2 1.54 4. Motorola W385 1.54 5. Motorola Deluxe ic902 1.53 6. T-Mobile Shadow (HTC) 1.53 7. Samsung Sync SGH-C417 1.51 8. Motorola V365 1.51 9. RIM BlackBerry Curve (AT&T) 1.51 10. Sanyo S1 1.48 And read more 1. MMFAI ORG 2. CNET REVIEW