If you are a regular reader of the journal Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, you might have seen the study that claims current methods of measuring cellphone radiation are not adequate.

According to the report, current Federal Communications Commission guidelines underestimate the amount of cellphone radiation most users are exposed to.

One of the examples cited is a test using a liquid-filled model of a human head. The study says the model is oversized compared to 97 percent of the population, and those with smaller heads will experience more exposure proportionally.

Microwaves from electronics are not as powerful as x-rays, but have been drawing more focus and debate.

Newsobserver.com reported previously that a federal agency based in Research Triangle Park is conducting a study to determine if cell-phone radiation causes cancer or other health hazards.

The National Toxicology Program expects to finish the study in 2012 and present its findings by 2014. The program is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Initial results indicated radiation levels ten times more than expected from TSA's body scanners in use at nearly 80 airports across the country. The agency says a "calculation error" is to blame and operation of the 500 plus scanners will continue.

The TSA blog says even so, the errors do not impact safety.

Accoring to a Wired report ,TSA spokesperson Sarah Horowitz says field technicians are required to test radiation levels ten times in a row, then divide by ten for an average which testers frequently failed to do.

What effects radiation from cell phones have on users is a looming question with no definitive answers. How does your cell phone compare?

Recently researchers shared a study showing mobile phone use stimulates brain cell activity. The finding is vague, but there is an FCC imposed limit as to how much radiation a cell phone can emit.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is the measure of the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body when using a cell phone. The maximum SAR level allowed by the FCC is a SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). This level is usually found on the device on a label buried within the battery cover, but it should also be listed in the product documentation.

A federal agency based in Research Triangle Park is conducting a study to determine if cell-phone radiation causes cancer or other health hazards. The National Toxicology Program expects to finish the study in 2012 and present its findings by 2014. The program is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Scientists generally work from the premise that no amount of radiation is good. There are a number of common household items sources that emit what are considered to harmless levels of radiation including some TVs, computer monitors, smoke detectors, antique glassware & ceramics and even some foods. Our Sun emits radiation. Most of which is filtered by the Earth's atmosphere. So completely avoiding radiation may not be possible  and while the radiation from your cell phone and other devices is not exactly a sought out feature, it may not necessarily be harmful.

Keep in mind these are microwaves which are less powerful than x-rays.

Users will have to decide whether or not caution should be exercised, but specialized cases, hands-free devices and even just simple moderation can reduce exposure.

Below you will find updated lists of the cell phones with the highest SAR levels and lowest SAR levels. For reference, since they do not appear in the lists, the iPhone SAR levels are .97 for the original EDGE model, 1.38 for the 3G, .79 for the 3GS,  AT&T's iPhone 4 is rated at .1.17 SAR, and Verizon's iPhone at 1.18. 

Here is a link to where you can check your device if it is not listed.

20 highest SAR levels in cell phones

1     Motorola Bravo     1.59
2     Motorola Droid 2 Global     1.58
3     Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou)     1.56
4     Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro     1.55
4      Kyocera Jax S1300     1.55
6      Motorola i335     1.53
7      Motorola Defy     1.52
7      Motorola Grasp     1.52
7      ZTE Salute     1.52
10     LG Rumor 2     1.51
11     Motorola Droid     1.49
11     Sanyo Vero     1.49
11     Motorola Droid 2     1.49
14     HTC Desire     1.48
15     LG Chocolate Touch     1.47
16     Kyocera Wild Card M1000     1.46
17     Kyocera X-tc     1.45
17     Motorola i576     1.45
19     Motorola Stature i9     1.44
20     Motorola Droid X     1.43

20 lowest SAR levels in cell phones

1     Samsung Blue Earth     0.196
2     Samsung Acclaim     0.29
3     Huawei Ideos X5     0.34
4     LG Quantum     0.35
5     Samsung Haven     0.41
5     Samsung Evergreen     0.41
7      Samsung Captivate     0.42
8      Samsung Smiley     0.43
9      HTC Surround     0.439
10     Doro PhoneEasy 410     0.445
11     Motorola Devour     0.45
11     Motorola i890     0.45
13     Kyocera Neo E1100     0.479
14     Samsung Contour     0.49
15     HTC Imagio     0.498
16     Motorola Flipside     0.5
17     Samsung Flight SGH-A797     0.505
18     Samsung Nexus S     0.51
18     Samsung SGH-T249     0.51
20     Samsung Rugby II SGH-A847(AT&T)     0.52
 

via cnet

Researchers have discovered that cell phone use increases brain activity in the cells closest to the antenna.

What this means in unclear. Focus on cell phone radiation has intensified as wireless technology becomes more pervasive.

Research involving about 250,000 cell phone users from five European nations was launched last year and is expected to last 20-30 years.

A U.S. federal agency based in Research Triangle Park is conducting its own study to determine if cell-phone radiation causes cancer or other health hazards. The National Toxicology Program expects to finish the study in 2012 and present its findings by 2014. The program is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Though it seems many cell phone users could benefit from increased brain activity, is cell phone use likely to make you smarter? You make the call.

An early study indicates that a common drug used for high blood pressure could improve the mental function of patients who undergo radiation for brain tumors.

The findings, released today by scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, were conducted on rats, and need further study in humans.

But the results show promise for a hypertenion treatment called losartan, which Merck & Co. sells as Cozaar. Given to rats in their water, the drug improved their cognative abilities after radiation.

Scientist believe the drug blocks protein components from being over produced during radiation. The components, called peptides, impair brain function.

“Sometimes the patient realizes that their short-term memory is fading or that they’ve lost the ability to multi-task," said Mike E. Robbins, a professor in the department of radiation oncology and one of the study's authors. "They just can’t keep thoughts in their brain. Sometimes it’s a friend or partner that realizes the impairment, but once it is noticed, it is not going to improve. Cognitive decline resulting from radiation is not stable. It is a chronic, progressive condition.”

If the findings bear out in human studies, the drug could improve the quality of life for many of the estimated 350,000 people in the United States battling brain tumors.