Many computer users are unnecessarily frightened by unwarranted fears that their monitors and computer hardware are slowly killing them. However, the truth is that you will not get cancer from being exposed to the radiation emitted by your computer monitor. You will also not become infertile or suffer from any other debilitating or terminal illness.
Radiation is almost always associated with a negative connotation, but this thinking is based on low awareness. We are exposed to radiation every day. By definition, radiation is any energy that travels from a source. Light, as well as heat and sound, are types of radiation. In fact, we get a generous helping of UV radiation every morning from the sun.
Our computer monitors and other electronic devices with displays, such as televisions and mobile phones, emit a certain type of radiation known as electromagnetic radiation (EMR). If you’re interested, the fluorescent light bulb emits more EMR than our computer screens.
The idea that radiation from computer monitors can cause cancer dates back to the early 1990s, when major publications and magazines released poorly researched studies that claimed this was the case. As you might expect, there was a certain kind of panic amongst the masses. The public began to question not only the security of the computer hardware, but all the effects of other EMR emitting devices.
To control the situation, carefully conducted research studies were carried out and the false claims were eventually debunked. At the time, however, the computer myth that monitors cause cancer was firmly ingrained in the minds of many people.
It’s about time we put an end to this myth! The EMR from your CRT or LCD monitor will not negatively affect our health. These computers are harmless and should not be viewed with fear.
Sitting in front of your computer all day is not good for you for reasons other than cancer-causing radiation. Without exercise, you are predisposed to health problems. In this way, your computer can be your death. But it certainly won’t die from EMR.
