QuickCheck: Do microwave ovens cause cancer?

IT is said that microwave ovens can be dangerous because of the radiation it emits, causing cancer in users.

Is this true?

Verdict:

FALSE

Microwave ovens do not cause cancer, as microwave radiation is non-ionising and therefore does not have the same cancer risks associated with ionising radiation such as X-rays.

Ionising radiation consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have sufficient energy to strip electrons from atoms or molecules, thus ionising them.

How this type of radiation causes cancer is that they literally change your genetic code by knocking off the bits of molecules and atoms that your DNA is made of.

If the DNA is changed enough in a cell, it can mutate and become cancerous.

On the electromagnetic spectrum, gamma rays, X-rays and higher energy ultraviolet light are ionising radiation, while lower energy ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared, microwaves and radio waves are non-ionising radiation.

Microwaves are non-ionising so it just does not have enough energy to play snooker with the electrons of your DNA so are not carcinogenic.

But while microwaves cannot give you cancer, it can still give you a really bad burn so best to keep your hands out of the oven.

References:

1. www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ionizing-radiation-health-effects-and-protective-measures

2. www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-microwaves-cause-cancer

2. www.cancer.net/blog/2021-03/can-using-microwave-cause-cancer