One of the weirdest effects comes from the now famous “memory loss” study, published this week in the International Journal of Radiation Biology (vol.75,p 447) Alan Preece and this colleagues at the University of Bristol clamped a device that mimicked the microwave emission of analogues or digital mobile phones to the left ear of volunteers. Contrary to the press reports that appeared in February, the volunteers were as good at recalling words and pictures they had been shown on a computer screen weather or not the device was switched on. Preece says he still can’t comment on the effects of using a cellphone for years on end. But he rules out the suggestion that mobiles have an immediate effect on our cognitive abilities. “I’m pretty sure there is no effect on short—term memory,” he says.