U.K. to fund cell phone safety study
LONDON--The U.K. government is preparing to investigate whether mobile phones are as safe as the industry has been claiming. A total of 15 research programs, which will involve human volunteers, were announced on Friday. The total cost is expected to be around $6.3 million (£4.5 million). Four studies will investigate whether cell phone use can cause brain cancer or leukemia, while other studies will examine possible effects on blood pressure, hearing, brain function and the ability to drive. A further four studies will also look at the interaction of radio signals with the body in order to discover how much energy is deposited and where. The U.K. government and the mobile industry have each contributed to a $10.4 million fund to investigate the safety of cell phones. More projects are expected to be funded later this year from the remaining $4 million. --Graeme Wearden, ZDUK