Cell phones are integral to our modern way of life, but even though everyone uses them, many myths remain floating around. Below, we dispel some of the most common misconceptions about cell phones, from their magnetism to best battery practices.
They’ll Damage Credit Cards
A myth about cell phones that was never true but persisted is that they can erase and damage a credit card. Some people still put their phones and credit cards in opposite pockets out of habit because they once heard this misconception.
There’s some truth to the idea—cell phones emit a small magnetic field. Credit cards have magnet strips; if exposed to a strong enough magnet for long enough, they can be permanently damaged. But the magnetic field from phones is too weak to have any effect, so feel free to carry them both in the same pocket without worry!
It’s Better To Let the Battery Completely Drain
Many of the most common misconceptions about cell phones revolve around the battery, as many people are always coming up with tips and tricks to get the most juice out of their phones. One common but unhelpful tip that many have heard and practiced is letting the phone battery drain to zero before charging it.
This myth is inconvenient since it forces owners to plan their days around when they can charge the phone instead of just using a charge when it’s handy. While the myth may have been true when cell phone batteries were more primitive, modern phones have lithium-ion batteries that perform much better when they remain charged. Letting the battery completely drain could damage the battery’s health.
A Cell Phone Can Cook an Egg
One of the oldest worries and myths about cell phones is that the signals and radiation could harm your brain. At one point, there was even a myth that you could cook an egg with the energy and waves coming off your cell phone!
Of course, this was never true, but the point of the myth was that cell phones were dangerous, and if they could cook an egg, they could fry your brain. Cell phones emit some energy, but not nearly enough to cook anything, and even the small signals from phones are negated by cell phone radiation shields and EMI shielding.
Overnight Charging Kills the Battery
Another battery-related myth about cell phones that many still believe is that they shouldn’t be charged overnight. Like the other battery misconception, this was once true when cell phones had more rudimentary batteries.
Older batteries didn’t have the technology to know when they were full, so continuously drawing electricity for hours would decrease their battery life. But today’s phone batteries are much smarter, and once the phone is fully charged, they’ll stop drawing electricity on their own.
