Now that so many of us have spent the last 5-10 years incorporating cell phones into our lives, it’s frustrating to discover that science may just now be understanding that cell phone use could be quite dangerous to human health. This has happened before – with other modern pleasures and conveniences. Cigarettes are an obvious and glaring example. The advertising industry worked hard to couple cigarette smoking to modern life and sophistication and “freedom” during the war years. Now it’s taken decades to regulate the tobacco industry and change public awareness about the dreadful impacts of smoking on human health. Looking back at the old advertisements can provide us a laugh. But when someone in your family becomes disabled or dies painfully from a smoking-related illness, it’s not so funny. DDT, lead-based paint and asbestos are other examples of products touted by their manufacturers as safe and beneficial to 20th Century life – which later proved to be quite harmful. Debate rages about dozens of everyday products – and hundreds of pharmaceuticals -  about which “the jury is still out” despite voluminous research proving potential and actual dangers. No one has to look far, for example, to uncover a raging controversy over the use of genetically modified (GMO) foods. Or microwave ovens! (To have a look at how the controversy is raging follow the comments beneath this video to the right.) In the case of GMO foods, for example, we have been led to believe that tinkering with the genes of different plant species is a fast, safe way to provide the world with “better food through chemistry.” But this is one case where once the genie is out of the bottle, there will be no going back. And the truth is, we no idea what the long-term consequences will be as the genie disappears into the global food chain. The nuclear issue is another thorny question. There are volumes of research detailing the safety of nuclear power, favorably comparing deaths across various energy-producing industries such as oil and gas, coal and nuclear. Most of us have come to believe that a nuclear plant is safe – until it isn’t. But once the safety threshold has been crossed – as in the case of the explosions at Fukushima – the entire planet is put at risk. And there’s not much that individual citizens can do about the severe and damaging impacts of dispersed nuclear radiation besides protect our bodies as best we can.   At ETI, we always want to encourage thought and debate about new technologies and products made available through modern science. Recent revelations about the potential health hazards of cell phone usage are just the tip of the iceberg. Pollution and threats from many sources continue to effect our everyday lives. It is vital for us all to get informed – and stay informed – and to make thoughtful decisions about how we can enjoy the benefits of new technologies – without endangering our health or the balance of Life on our precious planet Earth.