• Question: Can microwaves give you cancer?

    Asked by brumc001 to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 2 Jul 2012.
    • Photo: Philippa Bird

      Philippa Bird answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      I’m not sure but you are not meant to stand to close to a microwave when it is on.

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      I think that microwaves can, but most things that produce them (like mobile phones, microwave ovens) don’t emit enough to be worried about (like, you would literally have to spend your whole life next to one to have a small chance of getting cancer) There are certainly other things that pose a greater risk.

    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      The name microwave refers to a range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

      The microwaves from a microwave oven have a frequency that is easily absorbed by water molecules, which causes them to vibrate and heat up (which is how the oven works). I don’t think that they will cause cancer. Your oven is also designed not to let any of the microwaves out.
      Mobile phones use a different frequency, which is not well absorbed by water (so that your mobile phone still works when it’s raining) and won’t cause your ear to get hot.
      I don’t think that there’s any evidence that microwaves cause cancer, and as Tom says there are many other things that pose greater risk (like smoking and bad diet).

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