Sick of Cell Phones, Wi-Fi? Move to West Virginia

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Uploaded on September 17, 2011 by newsydotcom

BY DANNY MATTESON


You're watching multisource tech news analysis from Newsy.


If you’ve got cell phone sickness the only cure might be moving to West Virginia?


CBC explains: “A remote settlement in Green Bank, W.Va., is home to a few dozen Americans convinced that Wi-Fi and other wireless signals make them physically ill...”


So what makes this town the perfect electronics escape? According to CNET it’s the amenities it doesn’t have.


“The quiet town owes its unusual wireless-free stature to the Green Bank Telescope… The area around it is designated as the National Radio Quiet Zone… That means that 13,000 square miles is blissfully free of ringing cell phones, push e-mail alerts, and free Wi-Fi at Starbucks. Actually, Green Bank doesn't even have a Starbucks.”


And how might you know if you’re coming down with what’s being called “electromagnetic hypersensitivity” or EHS? The International Business Times say it’s in the symptoms.


“Self-described sufferers of EHS have reported symptoms including headache, fatigue, stress, sleep disturbances, skin symptoms like prickling, burning sensations and rashes, pain and ache in muscles and other health problems.”


One woman, who claims to suffer from EHS tells BBC being around Wi-Fi affects every part of her life; even her thoughts.


“When I’m exposed to the cell phones it hurts to think. It very much hurts to think. … It’s very injurous if I go where there’s a crowd of people because they may be carrying cell phones. You become a technological leper.”


But writers at Complex aren’t buying it, saying there could be a number of explanations for the mysterious malady’s symptoms.


“...skin burning, muscle twitching and chronic pain. So pretty much the most vague symptoms possible that could be attributed to pretty much anything, but I digress.”


According to Daily Tech, some 5 percent of Americans complain of sickness related to electromagnetic radiation from wireless devices. At least now they have somewhere to go.


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Tags:
Wi-fi Refugees, Green Bank West Virginia, Electromagnetic Radiation, Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, West Virgina Town Bans Wi-fi, News & Events
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